


They Could Hardly Believe Their Eyes

by Theadosia57



Category: Twilight Series - All Media Types
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-23
Updated: 2021-03-13
Packaged: 2021-03-15 16:09:06
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 27,186
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28941231
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Theadosia57/pseuds/Theadosia57
Summary: My father says a new family are moving here to the quiet town of Forks, poor them. I hope they can cope with the Supernatural because it's the norm around here.Bella/Jasper Twilight AUDISCLAIMER: Twilight and its characters belong to S. Meyer. Otherwise, the rest is my musings on an AU.
Relationships: Bella/Jasper
Comments: 25
Kudos: 29





	1. A Veritable Who's Who

My name is Bella, actually, my given name is Belladonna Mariette Swein, it's a mouthful for sure, but it's a well-kept secret as well. The world beyond Forks thinks it is Isabella Marie Swan, but that's neither here nor there. Before I start in on boring you all with my own story, I need to give you all a short history lesson. Not one you humans would get in your schools, oh no! This is about ancient magic!

This is the rough history of the magic that is here in Forks, Washington. In case you don't know where that is, it's here in the United States of America. Way, way up there on the far left-hand side to be precise. As far as you can go, before hitting the border between America and Canada. Every so often in the grand scheme of cosmic signs and portents, lay lines and ancient free magic, they combine together in one vicinity.

Thus drawing the supernatural to that location. Such a place could be called almost anything, this particular place is called, as I said before, Forks, Washington. As was the way in the very beginning, before humans existed here or anywhere actually. Each type of Fae went about its business and kept itself secret. Therefore separate from the rest of the Fae and this went on for many millennia.

However, little by little similar type's made themselves known to each other. Like for instance, the nymphs or sprites, the woodland ones were much more curious about their surroundings and let the water one's see them going about their day to day business. Still not interacting but cautiously aware of each other. All living in harmony, sharing their world equally and with no other motive but to enhance the gifts of **Jörð** or Mother Nature herself.

That was until later when larger humanoid Fae entered the picture along with the advent of humans. So where once they complimented each other in their quest to uphold the balance of nature alone, now we had opposites and enemies. As the humans evolved and covered the globe so too did the Fae from their homelands, many predatory and parasitic in nature.

The New World, now instantly became a dangerous and volatile place. As each different type vied for a position, some for dominance, others only looking for a peaceful existence. Then for whatever reason one or two from each type of light Fae were slowly drawn to smaller places like Forks. Treaties, covenants and bindings were put in place to ensure some measure of safety for all.

As Witches, Shaman, Shapeshifters, Fairies, Mere folk and Elementals also arrived and were happy to live side by side with small groups of humans and each other. Darker Fae took themselves off and although no longer hidden still remained separate, from the Light Fae and humans. But they live in other magical locations.

Usually larger and more dangerous, like 'New Orleans', 'Las Vegas' or 'New York' where many humans reside, being their prey. These were usually Vampires, Goblins, Warlocks, Djinn, Trolls and Werewolves. The other smaller Fae who weren't interested in the humans for good or bad just kept on as before doing Mother Nature's business and keeping out of the bigger Fae's way.

As time passed lines between the Light Fae started to blur as Witches married Fairies or Shapeshifters mated with Mere folk and so on. Eventually including the humans into this large melting pot of magic and now non-magic beings. But the Dark Fae stuck to their own individual groups and rarely mingled, unless absolutely necessary.

This status quo has existed now for many years, once in a while one group of Dark Fae try to get control and are slapped down by the others and we keep out of the way as best we can. So that brings me neatly to my story, as I said I'm Belladonna Mariette Swein. Unbeknown to those beyond Forks, I'm both a human and semi-immortal.

Most importantly I'm an Elemental Witch, watered down from our long-ago ancestors of Norse mythology. I live here along with my father, he is a Wizard and like me part human and also semi-immortal. My mother was fully human and unfortunately couldn't handle the truth when it all came out. So, Charlie, that's my dad, it's Karlis really.

But don't ever let him hear you calling him that, he hates it says it's girlie! Well, he had to erase it all from Renee's mind and planted false memories. Sadly, for us, she left believing us both to be dead. Charlie was heartbroken about it, but it was really for the best, for all of us including her. Some humans just can't accept the supernatural and my mother was one; it was at the time when I came into my true powers that she realised we were not normal humans.

Which was strange really, because how could she not see that living in a magical town? Never ageing or growing older as the years passed. Did she think we'd found the fountain of youth? Talk about living in denial! As a human semi-immortal, I age slowly like one year for every ten I'm alive. Therefore, the minute I hit puberty it slowed to a snail's pace.

Up until then, I was just like a human child. Around age thirteen, my life changed dramatically, so although I look like any normal seventeen and a half-year-old, I am actually fifty-eight years old. Of course, it's different for every one of us male or female, but the premise is still the same. Be you eight or eighteen when it happens.

Take my friend Angela she's sixty-six but looks twenty-one. Because puberty came at sixteen for her, Angela is also a Witch but a mystic healing one. Around town, you'll see humans wearing amulets or rings which stop them ageing to keep them looking the same age as their partners. Everyone here is either related to someone supernatural or is themselves.

We keep the place looking like any other small town and get the odd visitor. You know school inspectors, regional councillors or other officials from the real world. Then pandemonium happens as everyone has spells cast on them to look the right age etc, is bloody chaos really. Those that should be, long ago died are made to look like children and young adults and so far it's worked and if not we just modify some memories and everything is back to normal.

Well as normal as a supernatural town can be. Now that brings me to our news, my dad is the town's Chief of Police at age forty-two (two hundred and ninety-four) told me today a new family are moving here to Forks. This means we have to either cast the usual spells or stay as we all are now and I have to go back to high school. It's a lose, lose situation for me, I guess school won't be that bad.

However, the father of this family is a doctor and will be working at the local hospital. Damn, we haven't used conventional medicine in practically forever. We have to tell the outside world something's and when our last human doctor, who hadn't practised in years, died. Well, that really had to be reported sadly, so the medical board knew we were in need of a doctor then.

Hell, we haven't used the hospital since Jenny McHugh's gave us all the pox in nineteen fifty-seven; it was a spell gone wrong, big time. The local Quileute tribe's shaman Quill Ateara the second had us in there so he could treat as all at the same time. I didn't stop scratching for months after that, some people still had the odd pustulous boil on and off as well, yucky!

They, this new family have five teenage foster kids, two will be juniors with me and three are to be seniors. The mother, it appears is an interior designer so Charlie told me. That will make a change; we don't have one of those. Magical folks are naturally messy and a little lazy. If we want something we just add it into the existing setup, not always very aesthetically pleasing.

Imagine the Burrow from the Harry Potter books and you'll know what I mean! I love those books, JKR obviously has some Fae blood in her, she got so much right and the rest well, it would be nice, but is just a flight of fancy. Like the wand thing, we never use them in day-to-day life. They are only for ceremonial purposes. Also pointy hats and robes, how annoying would they be all the time, again just for ceremonies.

It wasn't until he mentioned the Doctors name that alarm bells started going off in my head. Because I am also the town's historian. Why was that name so familiar? I know I've read it somewhere; well it's off to the library for me. I love magic you know. I just line up all the old books, say the name 'Cullen' and 'hey presto'! Who invented that stupid phrase?

They flutter and fall open at the right page. Well, well, well! 'Stregone benefico' of course, I knew I recognised the name. Wow, Charlie just missed them, he moved here in nineteen forty-five when 'Forks' became a town. They had just left in nineteen forty-four maybe and I was born in nineteen forty-six.

What's that about a small world, of course, it's the magic that drew them in the first place and they assume nobody will know them now? Because the last time they were in Forks it was only the tribe and the Nymphs who were here, besides a few loggers who lived elsewhere. Well, this will set the cat among the pigeon's; we've never had vampires here, as they are usually dark Fae.

Not everyone's going to like this. Of course, by that, I mean the wolf pack. The Quileute tribe live on the local reservation and they too have magic, very powerful magic that allows them to shift their forms into those of horse-sized wolves. Their shaman, Quill Ateara the third is our doctor, magical doctor and we co-exist well with them.

Actually, we've blended, just as with all other magical beings and one is my going to be my future life partner, well at least I think so! As long as he keeps shifting, we'll be together. His name is, well I don't know yet! A fortune-teller with a travelling fair, that my mother took me to when I was ten told me I'd meet him in Forks! I wasn't listening, because she wasn't magic she was a charlatan!

Then as my mother wandered off the woman went into a trance, said he would be supernatural, not like me at all and ' **M** ' was an important letter in his life! I hope its Embry Call, that being a play on the letter M. His mother came from a non-magic tribe called the Makah up in Neah Bay but got herself entranced by Sam Uley's dad. The tribe's name could also be the M.

He, Joshua Uley, was the shaman in training then and it all went to his head. No, his other head, if you catch my drift! Then the silly fool got himself killed by a nomadic vampire and nobody knew about Embry's conception until Tiffany arrived here demanding he marry her. Only to find he had already been married to Alison and Sam was also his son.

She stayed reluctantly at first, but slowly the two women became close friends and when it became apparent Embry had the wolf magic too, they never left. I knew if he was to be my partner I'd had to wait till he grew up, that was interminable. One of the serious drawbacks of being so long-lived, but hey, he's all grown up now!

Otherwise, I'm totally stumped, who could it possibly be? I don't know that many supernaturals! Well, I better ring the town bell and let everyone know. Then we'll have to decide to tell them or not! Or at least wait and see if they are trustworthy. He might be a 'Good Vampire', but what of the others? We have to be sure before spilling all our secrets.

It's not them telling the humans that worries us. It's their own kind, they have rulers, and they have laws too. But the other vampire's are a danger to us; witches turned into vampires are never a good thing. It corrupts the magic in many cases and turns it dark, more than dark, deadly. At the sound of the bell, the council of Forks congregate for a meeting.

I rarely ever ring the bell so they know it is important. Everyone decides it is best to drop his or her glamour for this meeting. As it's hard to be serious when the oldest member of the council looks like a six-year-old boy. Romain Octaff is one hundred and fifty, meaning he's actually one thousand three hundred and sixty-five and is our most ancient leader.

He and his wife Alina came here in nineteen forty-five too. Looking for a quiet place to settle for their end of days. We rarely live past twelve hundred and Romain and Alina are well over that, it's just a matter of time as they say. They are both spell casters and they more than anyone else protect our home from the outside world.

Angela's husband Ben Cheney will be the one to take their place and it is a heavy burden for him to accept.

"Bella my dear, what necessitated the ringing of the bell?" Romain asked me quietly and I stood to deliver the news,

As expected there was lots of annoyance, fear and general panic. I explained they were animal drinkers and this caused Jessica to be totally outraged,

"They're not killing my babies! I won't have it, do you hear me? Shelley, you're our best potion designer, can't you make one for them?" she said barely holding back her sobs.

As I said before, balance and harmony was the way around here. Jess had the animals all working together. Only the old and infirm were culled by predators and in exchange, they gave protection from wandering scavengers. Introducing a group of vampires would devastate our forest's equilibrium and thus affect us all. We collected important herbs, plants and even animal droppings for many uses.

No the Cullen's could not hunt here! Therefore, it was decided, we would pretend to be human and the Quileutes would have to deal with then first. They could reaffirm their treaty, tell them we had a devastating blight that killed all the animals and they should hunt in Canada for the duration of their stay. Meanwhile, we would protect the forest with magic making it seem like there was little or no life left.

We'd leave the insects, rodents and the birds alone, having it look like life was slowly returning to the area. Jessica was appeased and dragged Ben and Tyler away, Tyler was an illusion caster and could make the place look decimated. Meanwhile, we would have to equip the hospital, over the years we have used the things sent for other purposes. Just reordering the bare minimum.

Forks was apparently the safest place in Washington to live! Due to the lack of accident's or illnesses here. It was not hard to get sorted, a few quick spells and there you have it, one fully functioning hospital. The staff would be the problem. All the healers of every kind were co-opted into working there. Mostly it would all be an elaborate illusion.

If the doctor worked it out we would revise our plans, it was his coven we were most worried about. We knew from the tribe's records there was five last time, now they were seven. I had considered making it to sunny for them here but thought better of it. However, I had another little trick up my sleeve, if they were gifted as many vampires were; they'd be in for a shock.

I would put a shield around their mind so it would not work within the boundaries of Forks or La Push. Where it came from or why I have it is a mystery, but dad thinks maybe far back on moms side there was magic once. But it must have died out when no one acknowledged or us it; of course, if you didn't live amongst supernaturals how would you know it was there.

**TCHBTE**

The night before they are supposed to arrive in town, the Cullens are meeting with the pack and the Elders of the tribe. Dad and I are there under my shield and I am going to shield all their minds until we know who has a gift. So as they arrive at the treaty line first I work my magic and then the Quileutes arrive and there is panic on the faces of two of the Cullen's and mild irritation on a third one.

We listen carefully to their conversation, dad can manipulate the sound to be louder inside my shield and we hear what they sat even at the speed they are talking.

"I can't hear anyone's thoughts Carlisle, not even the family!" One boy said, looking for the entire world as if he's constipated as he tries to hear something around him,

"Hot damn! Can we live here forever?" asks another big brawny one, he was slapped upside the head for that, by a blonde Amazon of a woman.

"I'm sorry Emmett, you know I can't help it!" the young one says and he looks a little happier, even while being contrite to the Emmett guy,

"I know bro, I was joking" the big one Emmett tells him clapping him on the back and moving a few inches, wow, he's strong.

"Alice?" the one called Carlisle says to a tiny little female,

"Nothing! I see nothing! It's all gone! The future is gone! I'm blind!" she whines, looking totally panicked, they seem to rely heavily on these gifts and she doesn't look blind to us.

"Jasper?" The doctor now asks,

"Wow! Can't feel a damn thing and it's awesome! Nobody's feelin's but mine in here, dang!" The blonde obviously southern one answers and he at least seems very happy about it.

Nobody else is asked so we guess it's just those three, but I leave it in place for now anyway. Better to be safe than sorry! They very quickly ratify the treaty with the Elders, adding Jasper Hale and Alice Cullen to the list they already have of Carlisle, Esme, Edward and Emmett Cullen and Rosalie Hale. The one called Jasper does not look happy about the name that is given, so I'm guessing it's an alias!

"Chief Black, can you tell us what has happened to the forest and surrounding lands?" Carlisle asked,

"We were struck by a severe blight a couple of years ago and only now is the land repairing itself. Might we suggest hunting further afield, perhaps Canada, the land couldn't cope with any more loss at present!" Chief William Black replied and they agreed to that easily,

As they leave the little female Alice, is attempting to clutch onto the one called Jasper's arm,

"Get a grip Alice!" he says shaking her off fiercely.

"But Jazzie, I've lost my gift!" she moans trying to grasp his arm again, wow someone can't take a telling,

"So have I, so has Edward, do you see us whinin' like a two-year-old?" he growls at her.

"But mine is more impo...!" she starts to say and stops herself but not quickly enough,

" **Important!** Was that what you were goin' to say Mary-Alice? Yeah, well without it you are pretty useless now! Just a one-trick wonder. I at least can fight and am still able to be of use to the family!" he spits at her and moves over to the big guy and the Amazon.

"Alice, that was uncalled for! Do you hear either of you're brother's complaining? No! Now apologise at once" A motherly woman beside the doctor said in a stern voice,

"I'm sorry Jazzie, you to Edward!" she says but obviously doesn't mean it at all, there's something going on there.

They are now out of our hearing range and I sigh, feelings of relief flood from me and the blonde guy turns and looks back. He shakes his head and catches up to the others. Dad looks at me and I shrug, nobody can sense or hear us under my shield! We head down to La Push to talk to Billy the Chief and the other Elders and see what they made of the exchange.

Now that their gifts are offline so to speak, we can go about the business of pretending to be human. But there seems to be some strange dynamic going on there. That girl, Alice she seems to think she's more important than the other two gifted ones. The empath and the mind reader don't seem that upset, confused maybe. In fact, they both seemed really happy for the break if nothing else.

**TCHBTE**

"Damn it, dad, I'm going to be late! What kind of alarm clock was that? It barely whispered to me!" I rant as I run around trying to get ready.

I was on my fourth outfit, what the hell do teenagers wear anyway? I eventually settled for skinny jeans and a short leather jacket over a band tee Angela left here. Black leather boots finished off my get up and I looked good enough. I don't usually care what I look like, but felt the need to make an effort today. I was still upset about last night, while at the rez we found out Embry had phased.

So now he's a wolf I thought that would be it! But oh no! He imprinted all right, on Leah and not me! So it's back to the drawing board for me, at least I know it's not Mike Newton or Austin Marks! They're nice guys, but both wizards so not technically supernatural in that sense and Austin is married to Jess anyway. It can't be any of the mere guys, because their names are unpronounceable to us and it wouldn't work. Hell, I can barely swim! There just isn't anyone else I can think of.

Dad was all for getting Mike to conjuring up some old truck for me to go to school in! Hell no! I insisted on a motorbike, I'm going for an edgy vibe here! At least I think that's what I'm doing! So I dash out the door and drive to school, just making it for the bell. Homeroom was boring, we all just looked at each other not sure what we should be doing.

"Everyone! My house tonight, we need to watch some human teen movies," Lauren said after signalling me to shield us all and we agreed,

I have biology next and walked there with Eric Yorke, he is a time manipulator! As in he can literally freeze everyone in place and then touch you to unfreeze you its awesome. He can also revere time by a few minutes; it's getting longer as he ages though.

"Ah, Bella, why don't you sit beside Edward? He's new and you can show him the ropes," Bob Banner says to me smiling, he's a herbalist wizard so looks like we'll be doing plant-based stuff this term,

I see the young boy from last night and he's smiling to himself. In fact, he almost looks high, could, not having his gift be making him euphoric? I suppose, not hearing everyone's every thought might have that reaction. As I pass the fan by Bob's desk, everything changes! His eyes go black and he jumps up to rush at me.

"Eric, freeze!" I yell just in time,


	2. He Feels The Feels, But Why?

"What the hell Bella! I thought these vamps were veggies?" Eric says as he releases me.

"They are. He was fine until I walked in front of that fan! My blood must be doing something to him. Rewind until we walk down the corridor and tell me to shield myself, okay?" I say knowing I won't remember anything,

So we do it all again, Eric explains what happened and I make a note to read up on that phenomenon and this time Edward stays in his seat and is still smiling happily to himself. When I go to sit, he says,

"Hi, I'm Edward Cullen" and I nod before telling him my name.

Bob Banner has done his homework unlike the rest of us and we actually do a real class. The phases of mitosis or something like that! Edward seems to know this shit so I smile and say,

"Have at it buddy, I haven't got a clue!"

It doesn't take him long to write out the answers in lovely copperplate writing. I would have thought anyone trying to blend in would have attempted to dumb down a bit!

"Bella, Edward, have you finished already?" Bob asks and I smile,

"He's a whizz kid, Mr B, I didn't know one end from the other!" I said and he shook his head.

The day went quite quickly and lunch was a scream. Having to queue and eat weird looking human food had some people looking a little pasty. Tomorrow I think maybe they should magic our stuff to look like human food, but only to the Cullens and because they won't taste it they will never know the difference. I'll suggest it to dad tonight; otherwise, Julie Hammond will be inundated with patients wanting to see the school nurse.

She's not that kind of healer; really she's more of a spell reverser or spell remover witch. Everyone thought it would be safer to have her in the school than at the hospital, just in case, someone lost control. By the end of the day, I was tired, hungry and desperate to get home, before we all headed over to Lauren's place. I think I'll start packing my own lunch, they do that, humans don't they?

"You okay darlin'?" A southern accent asked me,

I knew it was one of them, okay I knew it was him Jasper Hale or Cullen or whatever his real name was,

"Just tired, didn't sleep to well last night" I lied, not knowing what to say.

"You just feel a little down," he said walking away, mumbling to himself,

How does he know how I feel, I've got my shield up and his power is blocked? I need to speak to dad about this, like yesterday! I've got serious trouble if he can. But how can he feel my emotions and no one else's? That doesn't make any sense. So that glance back last night must have been him feeling my relief. Plus that was a close shave with the younger one Edward; I'll seriously have to read up on that phenomenon.

These Cullens are going to be trouble I can feel it in my bones and so to can Jasper whatever his name is, apparently! I realise how ridiculous that sounds and start to giggle, but there is a touch of hysteria in it and I stop, looking around panicked to see if he's there. Thankfully I'm alone and I gather my things climb on my bike and head out. He was watching me as I drove past them and damn did he just wink at me?

Dad seems awfully calm about all this, says maybe he just saw how I looked and connected how it should feel to him normally. Like compensating for his missing gift, or maybe a residual sense that will go in time. I'm not so sure, but as he says only time will tell. I whip up a quick meal for dad and me to stave off that hunger I'd been feeling and changed into something else.

Waving my hand at the room, to put everything back where it should be I decide to walk over to Laurens instead of teleporting. We are having to dial back on the use of magic because they are fast and could see something they shouldn't before we're aware. It's time to get over there and do some homework on how to be fully human, oh, joy!

"Okay everyone, I've got a few but don't know if any are really going to help us," Laurens says shaking her head,

In front of her are several CDs and a player we got Mike to conjure up, he's doing the same for the boys. This is stuff we don't normally use but hey, we need help here. She's got,

**Mean girls - Juno - Clueless - Sixteen candles - The breakfast club**

"I've ignored any with magic and I don't think musicals will help much either! It might freak them out if we all broke into song every couple of minutes!" We all laughed at that; yeah we were weird enough without that,

"So let's get started, first we need to be in our nightwear. They call this a slumber party or a sleepover, but you try not to sleep! Next, we need lots of sweets and snacks to eat while we watch" she said wiggling her fingers ay us and we were all now in pyjamas and fluffy slippers,

Well thank goodness they aren't pink, I thought as I looked at my new purple get up. We all can do basic magic but everyone has a speciality as it were. Lauren can turn anything into something else; therefore our normal clothes now look like pyjamas, otherwise known as transmutation. Whereas with Mike he can conjure anything you want out of thin air.

They guys were all next door at Jess and Austin's house watching movies as well, though I doubt they will be any help either because their movies are really guy orientated.

**Ferris Bueller's day off - The breakfast club - Risky business - American pie - Karate kid**

"That's it human girls are plain weird! I can't believe we're meant to act like that? Now I've saved this one till last, it's a new vampire teen movie; I thought that might be apt. Who wants to see it?" Lauren asks and well in for a penny and all that.

So we settled in to watch the strangest, most unbelievable thing I've ever seen!

**TCHBTE**

Meanwhile, at the Cullen house, a strange conversation was taking place,

"So how did your first day go?" Esme Cullen asked her children, who weren't hers or children,

"Well...!" Edward said,

"It was...!" Rose added, also leaving her sentence unfinished.

"It was crazy, no it was brilliant Esme. The kids are all weird, the teachers don't know anything about what they're teaching and everyone took one look at lunch and turned green! Like I said brilliant!" Emmett said happily flopping down in front of his new games console,

Carlisle and Esme looked at each other confused. He had yet to start at the hospital or he might have understood.

"All the teachers?" Esme squeaked,

"No the biology teacher was fine, a little dated but fine" Edward assured her.

"The Spanish teacher looks to be okay, she stopped me in the corridor and we have her tomorrow so it should be fine," Jasper said, totally distracted by the knowledge he could feel one person in the towns emotions,

"They all have no dress sense what so ever! They were even sticking together, Jocks, Nerds and Goths all hanging around with each other. It's not right, it's not normal!" Alice said almost hyperventilating with the lack of school hierarchy displayed today.

"How would you, a vampire know what's normal for this town?" Rose sneered at her; Alice without her all-seeing visions was beginning to annoy them all,

Had she always been this whiny? This bossy? This irritating? Yes, she had and they didn't like that she's been running their lives for so long by her standards.

"Oh, by the way, Alice, I'm dressin' myself tomorrow!" Jasper said leaving for his study to think,

" **ME TOO** " the other's all shouted at the same time.

"You can't, I've seen..." she started to say,

" **Liar!"** Rose yelled and she too left the room.

"Alice has your gift returned?" Carlisle asked,

"No!" she said sullenly.

"Then why did you say you'd seen something? Do you always just make it up when you don't?" Esme asked her voice ice cold in demeanour,

"I..., I..., not always," Alice said rushing out of the room, realising she'd outed herself.

Carlisle and Esme just looked at each other totally bewildered. What was going on in this town, the family had lost their gifts after arriving, the people were behaving strangely and Alice was showing herself up to be a not so nice young lady. Maybe tomorrow would be better, Carlisle was starting at the hospital and Esme intended to go into town shopping.

They couldn't help but see how much happier Edward was, Emmett too. Jasper seemed so much more relaxed, a little distracted but really relaxed. Rose seemed less bristly too, now that Edward wasn't in her head twenty-four seven. It was becoming apparent that forcing them all to live cheek and jowl in the same house was actually cruel. But letting Alice have free reign now proved to have been a mistake.

This move was becoming an eye-opener for them all. Without their gifts, two of the three had become happier. The strain between Edward and his siblings had lessened, now he couldn't hear their constant thoughts about things he knew nothing therefore disliked. In fact nobody had seen him smile so much and was that him whistling a new tune. He hadn't composed for years, finding it hard to concentrate around all their thoughts.

**TCHBTE**

The following day goes much the same, we look more like teenagers and try to not react weirdly to whatever is happening in our classes but the Cullens are all giving us strange looks. Go figure that the vampires would be more knowledgeable than us, we took note of the way high school cliques were formed and tried to adhere to them.

Even with humans amongst us we still don't have a clue, because they hadn't had to act normal in years. Plus the married couples are having difficulty ignoring each other or staying away from one another, this was all going to blow up in our faces I mused. Alice Cullen has decided for some reason my sense of style is not to her liking.

Why me, because she's been at me all morning, she's been suggesting, no, telling me about things I wouldn't be seen dead in! Pun intended,

"Alice..., Alice...!" I keep repeating her name but nothing shuts her up when she's on a roll obviously, I was this close to blowing her up. I could feel the fire building on my fingertips.

Jeez, who made her in charge of fashion in Forks, not me? I let rip with an ear-piercing whistle and she drops to the ground clutching her head. Her superior hearing making it unbearable for her.

"No! No! **NO**!" I say with barely restrained anger,

"But you must, I've seen it..." she starts to say when Edward hisses and drags her away saying,

"Sorry Bella, Alice has no understanding of boundaries, free will or personal space. She also has a tendency to make stuff up please just ignore her" he was hissing at her angrily as he pulled her away.

Then he did the damnedest thing he sniffed her hand which had grabbed my arm, shit she's got my scent on her. He looked around wildly before rushing himself as well as her outside. He was pulling out his cell at the same time and we all looked at each other. Good luck with that, phones don't work so well here. That's why we have landlines when needed.

"Well, she better learn quickly around here. We don't like strangers interfering where they have no business!" Lauren says from my side, the others are all around me nodding.

I see Jasper out the corner of my eye lounging against a pillar with a wicked grin on his face. He looks happy to see her being taken down a peg or two. I can see him much more clearly than a normal human would and wow, he's covered in scars. They don't frighten me, but you've got to wonder how he got them. We've heard of the Southern Vampire Wars and with his accent, I'm putting two and two together here.

Time for another little trip to the archives I think, so what do I know so far?

Texan - Check, Fighter - Check, Empath - Check,

Yeah, that should be enough. Shit, he's looking at me funny, I better get moving. Where the hell am I supposed to be? Oh yeah, Spanish. We can all speak Latin; we can all speak Quileute, some have even mastered the Mer tongue, but Spanish nope, not so hot. But it looks like they can, the Cullens I mean. We're in a mixed junior & senior class and they all speak it well enough if accented with where they were originally from.

But he, Jasper speaks it fluently and our pretend Spanish teacher, who's actually a diviner, like a tracker of anything, Ms Hernandez looks all aflutter. Mia Hernandez is a woman who looks thirty but is really one hundred and fifty-six years old. She can find anything anywhere just by touch. Like f she's looking for water if she touches a tree she can trace its water source.

On the other hand, she can find lost items by touching your hand and tracing it back to the last place you had it. But she can also trace magical bloodlines, by having a family touch each other and then her she by holding hands. She sees all the branches, breaks and side shoots. That's why she always wears gloves, so as not to read you without consent. I really should ask her about my shield one day, see if dad's right and it was a latent magic in Renee's family tree.

It's all in Jasper's cadence and rhythm of speech, it flows out of his mouth like honey and everyone is agog. Good heavens, that man has charisma, no use pretending he's a boy, because, he most certainly is not! How did human in other places believe they were high school age? As all the women and a couple of the guys heave a sigh when he stops talking,

I notice two things. Both Alice and I are pissed, her I understand, but why me? Also, he's staring at me in a knowing way; I don't care what dad says he senses my emotions! I try to strengthen my shield against him and he quirks an eyebrow, nope not working.

"Jazzie, Jazzie I'm talking to you!" Alice whines, trying to get his attention off of me,

"My name is Jasper, Mary-Alice. If you want an answer, use it" he says with a very low growl,

But while the other members of his family flinch, I'm intrigued. There is a darker side to him, I sense it now too. All everyone else got was her name and from now on we would be calling her Mary-Alice, why because it blatantly annoys her and since she has done nothing but be rude and annoying to us, why not? Looks like we've got the high school thing cracked after all.

Lunch was a better today, they didn't eat what they picked and we got what we wanted. I still brought mine from home as I needed high energy stuff to keep my shield up against Edward and over them to nullify their gifts. I decided it was pointless continually strengthening the one over Jasper as it didn't work anyway and he seemed happy to be only feeling mine and his own emotions.

"Damn, nobody turned green today," Emmett said quite disappointed,

"Well, I hate it here and I'm telling Carlisle we need to leave!" Alice said dropping down in her seat,

"Well we like it, so go if you want to, nobody's gonna stop you" Jasper drawled and the others nodded.

"No, we all need to go something is very wrong here" she snaps at them,

"The only thing wrong here is you Mary-Alice! Get over yourself" Rose spat and they all turned away from her.

This is not good if she leaves her gift will return and who knows what she'll do or say! No, she cannot leave just yet. We'll have to get dad to either memory charm her or Romain has to talk to Dr Cullen. Looks like I need to sneak out for a little while, thank god it's lunch. I head to the office to tell them I need to see the archives urgently. Shelley Cope is having a field day in there; the place looks like a bomb hit it.

"Hello dear, there's a message for you. A man phoned half an hour ago and he said, hell, here listen to it yourself, it was quite odd really. Almost like he knew something strange was going on here" she said replaying the message for me.

**'Hello, would you please tell Miss Swan, no tell Bella to please not hurt my brother, he's the only one I have! The pixie bitch she can do what she likes with. My wife and I are on our way, tell her don't do anythin' rash suga'. The others would love to stay. Oh, yeah, I'm Peter Whitlock'**

There it was again, I knew that name from somewhere. It was most definitely time to hit the archives; I've read so much over the years it's hard to keep it all straight. What did he mean don't hurt my brother? He's not the problem here; well he's mine but nobody else's so far. Guess this unknown guy doesn't really like Mary-Alice much either. Did he know that she, Bella could be a danger to them, especially her control of fire?

His voice indicated he too was a vampire, so one with a gift obviously! What did he mean they'd love to stay, here in Forks, permanently? I suggest to Shelley that the school should close early for a teachers meeting, a fire drill or something like that. It didn't matter but we all needed to get out of here sooner rather than later. I needed to call another meeting; Eric would have to freeze the Cullens too.

**TCHBTE**

At the hospital Carlisle was in a state of shock, there were no serious cases. The ICU was empty, the maternity wing was empty. He knew it was a small town, but no illness, no pregnancies that was unheard of. The staff were, well, in a word, bizarre. The wandered about looking lost and confused as if they had no idea where to go or what to do! This place was not normal at all.

They looked at the equipment as if they had no idea what it was or what it did. Where others might not have noticed, he saw many discrepancies in their clothes. The normal hierarchy was not in place, similar to the school he thought. One woman seemed to be more important than the others and she was the receptionist, Alina Octaff.

Retreating to his new office Carlisle set about thinking over the whole day so far. First, he realised they knew what he was because no one had reacted to his cold touch as they shook hands. Nobody had kept their distance as is normal and several people had been watching him with undisguised interest. Then used his superior hearing to listen to any conversations taking place and boy was that enlightening.

**_"Alina, do you think he noticed anything?" asked an unknown man in such a low voice, Carlisle strained to hear him,_ **

**_"No, well, I don't think so Shaman Ateara. But he's a smart man, we need to be careful!" she replied, just as quietly,_ **

**_"Okay, for safety sake let him treat any minor injuries that aren't obviously, your people's related illnesses. Send the serious to me at the reservation and any needing reversal or removal to the school for Julie to deal with. Maybe they'll get bored and leave" Shaman Ateara, otherwise known as Old Quill said,_ **

**_"Yes Bella's worried, she is doing more research in the archives and says that Alice girl is becoming a problem," Alina told him,_ **

**_"Charlie, told me about her near-miss with the youngest one, Edward yesterday. Drawn to her blood apparently, but only hers! I know they are supernatural like us, but the last thing Forks needed was vampires!" he replied in a whisper._ **

Carlisle was stunned; he knew exactly what was going on now. No wonder they always felt drawn back to Forks, it was a supernatural community. Every time they moved its name came up first. But what kind of supernaturals? He knew about the Quileute wolves from before, but what else was here? Something strong enough to block the gifts of his family and stop Edward attacking his singer. Of course, magic!

This was wonderful; it meant they never needed to leave ever again. A permanent home, Esme would be delighted, she loved it here, in fact, everyone but Alice did. So what to do about her, hmmm! Over the years Carlisle had learned many things and knew that there were many types of supernaturals and others in his world. Edward refused to believe this of course, but now here, at last, was proof positive. Time for a family meeting, then meeting the leaders of the Forks community.

**TCHBTE**

"Peter Whitlock" Bella murmured to the wall of books before her and several rattled but only two leapt forward and opened. One was the supernatural index; it listed all known persons no matter the species. Due to its magical properties, it updated itself on a daily, no hourly basis.

**_Peter Whitlock, real surname unknown. (Known as) Captain Whitlock. Human drinking Vampire mated to Charlotte. Sired_ ** **_in Texas_ ** **_by The Major in 1892 at age 23 during the_ ** **_Garza Revolution_ ** **_to fight in the Southern Vampire Wars_ ** **_. Escaped his coven with his mate after 48 years, due to his sire's help in 1939 and is now semi-nomadic. Undefined cognitive ability, explained by himself as 'I know shit!'_ **

The second book that opened was one on covens and it made for so frightening and graphic reading. Bella's eyes kept returning to two words on the page, **The Major.** Her skin prickled and her senses knew it meant something important, something to do with her. Snapping her fingers at these two, they returned back in place.

"The Major" she barely whispered and the archives practically shook as book after book threw itself open before her.

**_Major Jasper Whitlock - (Known as) Jasper Whitlock -The Major - The God of War. (Known Aliases) Jasper Cullen - Jasper Hale. Animal drinking vampire, no mate. Sired in Texas by Maria in 1863 at age 19 during the American Civil War to fight in the Southern Vampire Wars. Escaped his coven and certain death after 80 years, with the help of Peter Whitlock in 1943. Semi-nomadic until joining the Cullen or Olympic coven in 1952. The defined ability of Pathokinesis or Empathy. He can both feel and manipulate the emotions of those around him._ **

Surrounded by a sea of books, books he had written, books that mentioned his heroic deeds as a human, books that detailed his alter-ego's many deeds good and bad. His name was mention in passing in some, others spoke of him directly, and some were from hearsay about him. But one thing stood out to Bella, this was a man many feared, whilst holding him in awe. Just as many spoke of him with respect, friendship and faint hero-worship.

Bella snapped her fingers and all the books disappeared once again. One phrase was running around in her head, one from so many years ago. Bella shuddered as she remembered that night,

**_"He will be supernatural, not like you at all and 'M' was an important letter in his life!"_ **

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Reminder who does what  
> Julie Hammond - Spell removal Healer  
> Mia Hernandez - Divining/finder
> 
> Garza Revolution between Texas and Mexico (1891–1893)  
> Thanks to Idreamofeddy for her brilliant creations, making good characters great.


	3. Well This Has Been A Strange Day

Not often did awfully much faze Esme Cullen, she looked after five teenage vampires on a day to day basis after all. But she just couldn't seem to initially grasp what was right in front of her eyes today, well, at first. The town of Forks was beautiful, strange and idyllic. The first thing she realised was it had no supermarket or small convenience stores of any kind. It had many exotic and unusual one-off shops though.

In fact, the whole place looked like something out of a dream. The kind of dream a young, impressionable Esme Platt might have once had. Little did she know that was her answer, she was seeing exactly what she imagined she should. Each one of the Cullens would see something to their liking and not what each other saw. This illusion was tailored just for her alone. This was a mistake on the magical community's part. They really should have picked one thing and shown it to them all.

There were little shops selling fabric and others selling antiques. She could see all kinds of things she'd need to renovate the Forks house and then some. But what really caught her eye was a display in a window for the sheerest of fabrics, delicate as gossamer wings. It was almost perfect if only it had been in green and then it was. She was stunned for a second and then the extremely pragmatic Esme Cullen, pulled up her big girl pants.

Without so much as a twitch, Esme moved on and then tried that again and again, each time the item changed to be what she wanted it to be. Carlisle had told her often that there were other supernaturals in their world but never having met any she really didn't accept it, not that she disbelieved her mate. But she was nothing but open to it now, sitting on a bench she smiled serenely to anyone who passed by.

So if this is an illusion she thought how do I make it stop? In her mind, Esme whispered "I want to see the truth' and there it was, the best way to break an illusion, is to know it is one. Forks was no less beautiful, just more. Well, more everything, it was magical she thought. The crowning glory was the little pond in the centre of town.

Around the edge sat several beings, some human others clearly not. Whilst in the water children splashed about, children with tails, tails like in the old storybooks she'd seen. They were all real, as real as she was. Right there in the centre of town, Esme decided she was staying, she was never leaving here. A place at last where they could be themselves, no pretence, no hiding.

This was as close to heaven as vampires would ever get, she decided. Not wanting anyone to guess she knew what was happening Esme opened a door of what had been an antique shop and asked for directions to the hospital.

"My husband forgot his lunch, so I thought I'd take it to him," she said and rolled her eyes as if to say, men!

**TCHBTE**

"This is much harder than I thought. It's so easy to fool the humans; they don't look to close by nature. But vampires see so much more" Tyler said flopping down beside his wife Lauren.

"We're all feeling the strain Ty, Bella says with her shield up she sees some flaws. I'm just going to recheck some of my Trans before we head to the meeting" she replied sounding quite tired,

"Yeah, Eric has snuck off to freeze the Cullens so none of them catches on. I'll come with you and reinforce my illusions too" he said kissing her cheek before getting up and holding out his hand.

The magical community were beginning to see they had grown lax and a little slapdash over the years. Their spells and wards, illusions and transmutations weren't standing up so well against the vampires as they should. Lauren felt it might be good to have everyone do some retraining, she would mention it at the meeting. As Eric arrived by transporting, the meeting of the magical community commenced. Many smaller issues were dealt with first; Lauren added her plea for retraining.

It was agreed that they had allowed their abilities to become weak and less effective and this was a wake-up call. The people were divided on should the Cullens stay or go, should they know or not about the supernatural presence here. Bella mentioned the two Whitlocks coming and you'd have thought she'd invited them herself, by the way, everyone was ranting on at her. Romain got to his feet and silenced everyone,

"We have no right to send any of them away, they too are supernaturals. We will not be allowing memory charm usage on mass! You all seem to forget, we are not the only group here in Forks. We are not the elite, just one of many and they too must have their say in how we all proceed.

So in three days, a full Forks council will be held at the pond, the Mer, the Quileutes and all other fey will be attending. Bella if this Peter Whitlock knows what going on here, invite them too. Maybe they can help us with making a decision about the Cullens" Romain said nodding to her,

"Me, why me?" she asked unhappily.

"He made direct contact with you specifically, my dear. So you are now our vampire liaison" he smiled at her as he said this before he continued saying,

"Those of you who are advocating radical, magical enforcement need to take a hard look at yourselves. Hiding ourselves was a temporary solution until we determined their status; we will not be refusing anyone from the light, the right to live here. That is the path to the other side, this is why the fey are separated into dark and light, are you perhaps on the wrong side?

Maybe it is you and not they who need to leave!" he said with much disdain in his voice and many heads dropped.

**TCHBTE**

After the meeting was closed, Bella quickly transported herself away up into the mountains, she had much to think about. Could it be possible he **the Major** , was her intended life partner, her mate! She was conflicted, confused and just a little angry at fate. What did this mean for her, would she be able to stay semi-immortal? Would she become a vampire? What did that mean for her powers? Would she turn to the dark?

It all spun around and around in her head faster and faster, needing to get out so she could think straight. Without really noticing Bella was throwing lightning bolts at the rocks near to her and thunder could be heard in the distance. As the boulders disintegrated into little puffs of dust, Bella heard a throat clearing behind her. 

She swung around quickly releasing a bolt of lightning which exploded a tree next to the man who stood there.

"Hey suga' that's no way to treat you future brother-in-law!" he said with no little awe in his voice,

"Why me? How can I be mated to a vampire? I'm a witch, we don't mix well! This will be a disaster, I know it!" Bella whined, more to herself than him.

"What you see isn't the real him, neither is what you read in those books. He's a good man and everythin' will be fine, you have to trust me on that sweet cheeks!" he told her smiling,

"How'd you know that?" Bella quizzed him directly now.

"I just know shit! So you need to bring out the real him, by bein' yourself. Not the Major or Jasper Hale, but Jasper Whitlock! Then everythin' will be fine. Trust me, trust yourself. But you all have to do somethin' about Alice. She's the loose cannon in this scenario!" he said now sitting on the only boulder for miles,

"You're Peter I take it and the lovely lady hanging back in the trees? Your mate Charlotte I presume?" Bella said now freezing the rain that had started and made it snow all around them.

"Yup, right on both counts! Any idea where we can stay suga'? The Cullens don't like us much; I think it's the diet or the clothes, maybe the accent. Who knows?" Peter said not sounding the least put out,

"More like the attitude! Hello Bella, I'm Charlotte, but please call me Char" the beautiful blonde said as she came up beside them both.

"Hi Char, I can't think of a place off hand Peter, but give me two minutes since I've made a clearing anyway," Bella said before disappearing and then reappearing with a disgruntled Mike by her side,

"Just give us a small two bedroomed log cabin Mike! You can do that in your sleep. By the way, this is Peter and Charlotte Whitlock" Bella said as she pointed to them and Mike grimaced in their direction.

"Okay, jeez Bella! You do know it's date night? I'm taking that little red-headed

fairy to the waterfall tonight, so what and where?" he said agitated,

"Cabin here, two bedrooms," Bella said spreading her arms wide.

"You guys don't need plumbing, do you? I can rustle up a magic shower if you'd like" Mike said getting into it now,

Peter and Char stood bemused as quicker than even they could do it, a small but comfortable cabin appeared out of thin air.

"Okay, everything works by just saying on or off. We did away with all the old Latin spells, too laborious! Right I'm off, hot date well I hope so" Mike said before he disappeared again,

Once they'd settled into the cosy little cottage, Bella explained about the meeting and asked them to come. Explaining that the council would like their opinion on the trustworthiness of the Cullens and Peter laughed hard, then stopped and burst out laughing again.

"Their lives in my hands! The irony of it, jeez I wish I could see their faces when they find out" Peter sniggered,

"The good doctor is a tad condescendin' about our diet! Edward is a snob and thinks us below him intellectually and Alice thinks we're one step up from hillbillies or is it down!" Char explained to Bella, who had a disgusted frown on her face.

"That's a bit patronizing, we treat everyone equally here, we have to because we're all so different and aren't they the anomalies in your world?" she asked less than amused by this bit of information.

**TCHBTE**

The next morning was Saturday and Alice decided she would venture into the town. She was convinced it would be so provincial that she would be disgusted. But to her immense pleasure, it was anything but, all her favourite shops were here. Unlike Esme, Alice couldn't see past the end of her own nose and never even thought Forks was anything but what she saw. Spending exorbitant amounts of money on unneeded items was what she did best.

Whist walking between two shops she was assailed by the most delightful of scents and could not help but followed it immediately. At the end of the trail, she found herself face to face with the most amazingly handsome young man. The pull of his scent was confusing her and without her sight, Alice assumed wrongly that this was her mate.

Without thinking about or asking for confirmation from her family, which would have been in the negative. She in true Alice fashion dove in headfirst or was that feet? Because this was her version of what Forks should be he was dressed in the most expensive of clothes and was watching her rapturously. In fact, he was watching her with mild interest, he was a fairly newly matured male merman who had very little control over his phenomenal pheromone pull.

He was looking to build a strong pod and she, this little vampire would be a feather in his cap. After all, he only had Rav or as the town call her Ralo, in his pod at present, his own father had had six Olni (females) in his besides his mother. He was wondering if Mar-Cln-Alic was going to be more bother than it was worth, it's not as if she could give him young. Alice was now already convinced she's mated to the man, unaware he was anything but human.

He had introduced himself as **H** ar- **A** ns- **N** iv- **K** arc, Hank to the local community. They spent hours talking and if Alice had been human and needed to move she might have noticed he never stood up in her presence. This, of course, was because he was really waist-deep in water. She had been drawn to the centre of town by his scent and was on the banks of the pond, as she talked to him.

He was unsure of this mating thing Mar-Cln-Alic talked of, they the Mer dealt in pheromones. If the person smelt good to you and complimented your own scent, then a match could be made and just as easily broken when either's scent changed. Alice has no idea, that having accepted Hank, only a scent change or death would free her. He is aware they cannot be together officially until after the town meeting, so he floods Alice's system with his scent almost like a drug, marking her as taken.

When she eventually manages to return home Carlisle is horrified. Everyone smells the scent on her and try hopelessly to explain to her the error of her ways, that it was not mating but an enthrallment place on her. Alice was not willing to admit she made a mistake decides she can deal with this her own way. She is still unaware Hank is not human.

**TCHBTE**

Edward was next to arrive in town, but unlike Alice, he didn't see anything special. He saw Forks, as it was, but it was deserted. The illusionists creating these alternate views were stumped, the boy had no imagination. Why, because Edward didn't believe in anything, not God, not magic, not the slightest possibility of any other life-forms. He didn't deviate from what was real to him for one second of any day, he would never have believed Carlisle's story about vampires, if not for his mind-reading ability.

He had to believe what he was hearing and seeing, he had to believe what he could do and feel. So yes he believed in vampires, but not much else. Well, humans, he knew they were real and little by little the full humans of Forks started to appear to him. The other's were just invisible to the shuttered mind of a very young Edward Cullen. His staunchly correct and proper view of the world left him blind to what could also be real.

Edward was the type of boy who had to be led by the hand and shown proof positive continually before he would even consider it might truly be fact. It was a sad truth, but one that didn't upset or bother him, because that was his life. He didn't feel he was missing out on anything, he'd seen the others daydreaming in the past and thought it was a waste of time and energy and far too insignificant for one as intelligent as him. The machinations of a weaker mind was how he truly saw it, not that he would say that to their faces.

So within half an hour of reaching town Edward turned around and headed back to the house. The only thing keeping him from siding with Alice about leaving was the peace and quiet. No longer hearing all of the thoughts around him was glorious, no more incessant thoughts of sex from Emmett, no more talk of fashion or cars or house renovations. No more war stories or medical dramas, just peace and his own thoughts about music.

This was the only part of Edward that was not rigid and straitlaced. His ability to write music, it just flowed from him, with no real thought or planning and that was the only part of him he let have free rein. Edward had never stopped to smell the Roses in life and although he couldn't miss what he'd never had, the others felt sorry for him because of it. He had stalled himself at such a young age and it would likely take a massive shock to jolt him free, maybe Forks would be the place.

**TCHBTE**

Jasper was the third vampire to enter Forks, but he unlike them was slowly beginning to see something is not normal about Forks, what he is unsure at present. Although he knows he should be worried he doesn't care. All that occupies his mind is Bella Swan. He to went into town, but he was hoping to see Bella, but unlike Esme and Alice his idea of a small town was of the Texan variety and that was his first clue all was not what it seemed. Saloons and horses at every turn made him stop for a moment and stare in wonder.

He soon realised this was his own hometown, but from a time before he was born, one he'd wished he'd seen with his own eyes. It had long since been swallowed up by Houston nowadays. but as a child, this was what he'd wanted to see on visits into town. He like Esme saw it was an illusion, but he was enjoying it too much to dispel it right away. Looking down at himself he smirked and watched as his clothes turned into those of a gunslinger. He was trying hard not to imagine bumping into Bella dressed as a saloon girl.

"Howdy stranger" came an all to familiar voice,

"Peter? What in tarnation are you doin' in my fantasy?" he asked, not really surprised to see his brother.

Over the many years since Jasper had changed him, Peter would appear whenever Jasper needed him. So did he need him now?

"Problems Captain?" he enquired tipping back the Stetson on his head slightly,

"Not exactly, I'm here as emotional back-up, not physical" was the cryptic reply.

Peter was decked out in the regulation outfit for the sheriff of the day and behind him, in a doorway, he could see Char, who was dressed as he'd imagined Bella earlier.

"Ma'am," he said sassily and she winked at him before linking arms with Peter,

"Little lady, you look mighty fine!" her husband told her before smacking her butt playfully.

"What's the chances of the whiskey actually tastin' as it should?" Peter asked raising his eyebrow,

"Pretty damned high since this is based on my dreams" Jasper said as they all strolled into a saloon and ordered the bartender to set up a round.

Not ones to miss a chance of some fun, they all played a few hands of poker, drank a few shots and even had a little dance, as Jasper played the piano. He was just as good, if not better than Edward, but much less of a show-off. As they strolled to the centre of town later, Jasper asked Peter if he knew what was going on around here.

"Yes and No! What do you think is happenin' Major?" Peter hedged,

"Well, it's supernatural, not the Quileutes though, the wrong kind of power! At first, I thought it was them blockin' my gift, well all three of our gifts. But then there's her, it has somethin' to do with her!" Jasper rambled as he mulled it over, "So it's got to be somethin' else and all I can guess is magic!" he finished off by saying.

"Alright, give that man a coconut! So this is all what?" Peter asked,

"An illusion to keep us distracted, but we come from different eras so they've bitten off more than they can chew. Man, I'd love to have seen Carlisle's town, seventeenth-century London. So why the subterfuge?" he said looking around thoughtfully,

" Because we're vampires and they need to know if we're good or bad! Because vampires are normally evil or at least bad and these people are obviously good and don't want wind of themselves gettin' back to Volterra!" Jasper said smiling at first, then it faded as a thought struck him.

"Damn! She's a witch, isn't she? So how can I feel her emotions and hers alone? Out of this whole town, I feel only her, why?" he asked himself distractedly,

"Oh! Oh no! Fuck!!!" Jasper groaned and spun to face his brother, "She's my mate!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Made up Mer language for this story  
> There are no Y's, no E's or U's in their language, neither do they have double letters like in Cullen. So Alice would be Mar-Cln-Alic-Olni (Mary-Cullen-Alice-female)  
> Mer Males are Karc, females are Olni. Ans is his family surname, as is Cln for Alice.  
> Therefore Hank is Har-Niv (first names) Ans (surname) Karc (male)   
> Formal Har-Ans-Niv, informal Har-Niv very informal Har  
> Rav-Ans-Liv-Olni female in his pod


	4. Time To Vote

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: My apologies to all of you who are not in my Facebook group and don't know what happened to last week's chapter. I had a severe allergic reaction to a topical medication. But thankfully it's almost all gone and I can once again concentrate on typing xx I promise to catch up with the reviews as well as quick as I can xx Alexis

The Cullens were about to have a meeting of their own and were slightly bemused by Jasper arriving dressed as a cowboy from the old west. Esme smiled and nodded totally understanding, Edward was confused and Alice was too distracted with her own troubles to notice at first.

"What in God's name are you wearing Jasper?" Edward asked with minor distaste in his tone,

"Ah, the black a little much? What about blue or brown?" Jasper said changing the colour of his outfit at will.

"How are you doing that? I didn't see you move, you've never been that fast before!" Edward exclaimed now,

He was unable to understand what he was seeing even though it was right in front of his eyes. Esme was clapping her hands, which got Alice's attention at last, along with Emmett and Rose,

"Dude! Where'd you get the duds? Does this mean what I think it means?" Emmett quizzed slapping Jasper on the back, as he once more rotated through the colours.

"I believe it does Emmett, so in light of almost everyone working out what's going on in Forks, I'm calling a family meeting," Carlisle told them and he was smiling widely at Esme.

"What do you mean Carlisle? What is there to work out about this boring and mediocre town? The only reason I like it here is the silence it affords me. There is nothing to recommend this place; it's just like all the other places we have lived in!" Edward spouted not seeing the incredulous looks on most of his family's faces,

"I agree with Edward, granted there were some amazing shops. This place must be an outlet town though it's a strange place to have one! Still, apart from Hank, there is nothing much of interest to me here" Alice piped up and Jasper snorted,

"Is he the owner of that wet onerous smell that's hanging around here, what did you do, bathe in the depths of the ocean with him?" Jasper snarked and then caught Carlisle's sight nod,

This made him pause for a second before his eyes opened in disbelieve, Alice had gotten herself entangled with what they assumed by the smell, was a merman! Jesus was every supernatural real? Although Rose and Emmett had so far seen nothing they were fully able to comprehend what everyone else was telling them. The town was supernatural and magic was used widely here.

It made sense now why the school was so strange, why the other's gifts had stopped working. But it also helped to explain the missing hour's everyone had been suffering lately; someone was freezing them on and off. It explained how the forest seemed to be so badly affected close to the house and less so, further out. How when out running they had gone right out of the blighted area and then back into it like a glitch had occurred.

This town was not used to handling vampires that's for sure, they were to fast and saw more than was intended for them, processed it all quicker than there human or supernatural counterparts and reacted without showing their true intentions. By the end of the meeting Alice was horrified to think they thought her Hank was not human, how stupid, of course, he was human! She needed to convince him to leave this weird place with her as soon as possible.

Edward believed none of it and would have thought them all drugged but for the fact, drugs didn't work on vampires. It had to be something else, another vampire with the gift of illusion maybe, but with no scent either. He was grasping at straws rather than believe the truth, his world was changing radically and he didn't like it at all. Little did he know that very soon he would be so immersed in this world he would never want to leave or doubt his eyes ever again?

**TCHBTE**

It was a sorry bunch of witches and wizards that stood in front of the council of elders for the whole supernatural enclave that was Forks. They had failed to keep abreast of the vampires, there were too many they complained! They couldn't be everywhere at once the moaned! They couldn't help it that two were so dense the magic didn't work at all on one and too much on the other! It was a comedy of errors all around and the only person amused by it all was Peter Whitlock.

He, when called to speak told them, the Cullens wanted to stay in Forks, well all but two and he knew that was about to change very soon. He explained when dealing with vampires less is more! They had used too many different types of magic and forgot that each came from a different time, therefore, saw different things, so the town illusion had not worked at all or rather to well and they had also forgotten about free will.

Peter explained that not only had his brother Jasper worked out it was an illusion, but he changed it to suit himself. He had brought Peter and his mate into his illusion and then kept part of it going to show his family when he left. Peter clearly made the point, that if they had been dark Fae, the town would have been destroyed days ago! In fact, he told them, having Jasper there would actually deter others from ever coming here.

"How so Captain Whitlock?" Romain enquired, he had seen just what could happen to communities when dark Fae found them.

"Although he is not a dark vampire, he was changed by one; she lied to us all about the world beyond her control. Turnin' him into a weapon for her use, but he was and is a rare thing in the vampire world, Jasper has a conscience where others are concerned. Most are only interested in themselves or their coven.

It was he who let me and my mate escape, he who killed her newborns quickly and humanely. Takin' their pain and fear into himself every time, that's why I returned for him when I found out that we didn't need to live that way.

But the damage was done and he had become the vampire equivalent of the bogeyman. To this day he is the most feared vampire in our world, even our leaders, the Volturi fear him! So as long as he's here you will not be plagued by vampires out to make a name for themselves. I know the wolves usually take care of them for you all" Peter explained to the enthralled crowd,

"How do we know he won't draw them here to him?" Old Quill asked, his dislike of vampires evident in his tone,

"Fear, plain and simple! He's not like other vampires, we all have two sides he has three! I'm Peter the man and the Captain who is my beast, or my instinctual vampire side. Maria tortured Jasper repeatedly, which fractured his mind. He has a third part who emerged to protect both Jasper and the Major from her and that's who no other vampire wishes to meet! They call him 'The God of War'!" Peter concluded,

Bella was not surprised as she had seen all this from the books, but she was beyond angry and disgusted by what Maria had done to Jasper. Many of the other Fae gasped, they unlike the magics here had heard of this vampire, yes he was exactly what Peter said the bogeyman. The Mer and others travelled to other communities way more often than the magics, so they heard more about the outside world.

The further south you went the more that name was spoken in hushed tones, why? Because no one knew where he was! The most feared creature on the continent had disappeared and that had just enhanced his reputation, not quell it.

"So, is it safe to say, they know what we have been failing to hide? Will they all stay, because we cannot allow any of them to put us at risk?" Philistia, the leader of the nymphs asked,

"Only Alice appears to wish to leave," Peter said quietly with a smirk, knowing what was about to happen,

"She will not be a problem. My son Har, or as you all know him Hank has claimed her and she accepted him" Mel-Ans-Roc-Karc spoke up,

"Was she aware of that Mark? I don't wish to come over as rude, but that child appears to be a little dim!" Selente, the leader of the fairies asked and quite a few sniggers went around the group including Peter.

"I have to agree, I doubt very much that Alice knows what she has gotten herself into. She would only see him as he was in her illusion. A word of caution, she is motivated by two things her visions and money!

Greed and power are all that interest that Vampiress, granted she had very little ambition as power over her family has been enough all these years but do you really want her lordin' it over you all. Once she gets her visions back she will become unbearable, changin' everythin' to suit her and not your pods!" Peter said now and Mark looked horrified,

"He's right you know, she refuses to accept he's anythin' but human. Edward doesn't believe any of you exist and the rest of us want to stay, all for different reasons of course" said the disembodied voice of Jasper Whitlock.

"Hello, my brother! It didn't take you long to work out how to overcome part of the freezin' spell, I hear" Peter said laughing,

"Yeah, I just used the illusion from earlier and said I wanted to be in the centre of town and well so far my voice is all that made it but I can feel it loosenin' around me as we speak!" Jasper replied,

The witches and wizards were appalled that he could use their spells to help himself against them. Vampires truly were dangerous and different! Bella shivered as she almost felt him breathing down her neck.

"How?" was all she said,

"You!" he replied, "I honed in on you, the pull made it easy. You can feel it too, can't you darlin'?"

"Explain!" Charlie said loudly, annoyed that this was getting away from them all so easily,

"Your daughter, it would seem is my mate. I can feel her emotions even though she is shieldin' us all. I can sense her no matter where she is by the matin' pull. Even if she doesn't want me, I will never be able to leave her, without causin' myself pain or ever death!" Jasper said sadly and suddenly he was there beside her.

"Thank you darlin'," he told her,

Bella had reacted to the thought of him dying by moving her shield from outside his body to inside, around his mind. Thus protecting him from all magic, all mental threats of any kind. Then she transported him to her side, where she could protect him magically if not physically. She had reacted as a mate would and Jasper was thrilled, it felt to him that she was accepting their bond.

"I assume we now need to speak to the rest of the Cullens and see where we go from here!" Romain said, feeling all of his many years.

Charlie was much less interested in the Cullens than he was Major Jasper Whitlock. He was well aware of what it could mean for Bella. Somehow he didn't think Jasper would settle for his mate staying semi-immortal and ageing albeit slowly. Her being a witch was the biggest problem; he knew not all turned dark. Was that to do with their magic or the witch themselves? Were they all prepared to find out, but they had time, Bella only looked seventeen, at twenty-one she would be more his equal and that gave them forty years to find an answer!

Jasper could now feel Charlie's emotions and had a good idea where his mind was going, so he said,

"Sir, I know it's a dangerous dilemma, but we have time. There has to be something, somewhere that would help us? I'm happy to follow your lead for now, but if anything life-threatening happens then I will change her no matter the consequences!" he told Charlie and the Chief sighed,

"Thank you, that's a load off my mind. We start tomorrow, searching every clue. Bella, you asked the archives, ask it several times, change the wording so we miss nothing! I will locate others who were turned but didn't go dark. Jasper, you might have to speak to a couple who did, can you do that?" Charlie said getting the bit between his teeth.

Both the mates nodding looking at each other. If this was to work long term they needed to talk, and talk alone. They knew Charlie only had their best interests at heart, but they weren't a science project, but a newly mated young couple and they had yet to declare themselves.

"We will dad, but first we need a couple of days! I barely know Jasper or him me" Bella said now, her eyes never leaving Jasper.

Peter stepped forward and led Charlie away saying,

"Any dark witches needing talking too will be my job!"

"Why?" asked a confused Charlie,

"You may be her father Chief, but he's mine!" was all Peter said,

Bella felt a small rush of love and pride wash over her as it reached Peter and she squeezed Jasper's hand. They truly were close.

As the Cullens were once more released to go about their business, they knew what had happened and set off for the town. Rose and Emmett were looking at it all with new eyes. The people before them were like none they had seen before. It wasn't long before the fun-loving Emmett was testing out his speed and strength against the wolves. The young Mer males wanted to test his speed under the water and see how far he could dive. They were amazed to see him stand on the bottom of the pond without help and laughed at him just walking around as if on land.

Rose was enthralled by all the children, who were equally enthralled by her beauty. She played happily with them under their mother's watchful eyes or in the Mer children's case their fathers. Esme was chatting about architecture with some witches and Edward stood by Carlisle his eyes glued to Selene, twice he could have sworn he saw wings fluttering behind her, but that couldn't be right.

She was smiling to herself as they all talked seriously about the future now that the Cullens wanted to stay. Carlisle explained how they had always coped with supposedly ageing in the past, how they forged their own documents that always fooled the humans. That he really was a doctor and would be happy to help in any way he could that was non-magical, of course. Alice was to say the least displeased, the Merman she thought was human earlier was wearing, to her eyes rags.

**TCHBTE**

"Where is your lovely suit, Hank? You're hardly dressed for company! I expect a better standard than this from you" she raved and everyone around her just stared or rolled their eyes,

"What are you trying to say Mar-Alic? What's wrong with our dress sense, my family and friends wear this type of covering all the time!" demanded Har-Niv,

Hank didn't care about the fashion of land-people or fashion in general and is insistent Alice would be wearing mermaid fashion in future! She doesn't seem to grasp that the Mer are not money orientated like she was. When she asks where they were to live, where her house would be and how big was it and when he'll be giving her a credit card or a monthly monetary allowance to use keeping it up to the standards she expected.

"What is a credit card? Why would we need money?" he asked in a confused voice.

"To buy things, luxuries silly!" said Alice,

"We don't want the humans rubbish Mar-Alic; the sea is full of it already! We trade with the magics occasionally, with the bounty we gather from the sea. But only for what we need, which isn't much" said Sar-Rix (Sar-Ans-Rix-Olni) Har-Niv's mother, trying to explain things to her new daughter-in-law to be.

"You're a vampire, you don't need clothes. Do you feel the cold? No, then why would you need a warm house or a coat made from a land animal's skin, make sense Mar-Cln-Alic!" sneered Rav-Ans-Liv (Rav-Ans-Liv-Olni)

"Who are you exactly? What gives you the right to tell me what to do?" Alice asks the woman angrily; stunned when she said she was Hanks partner,

"You would insult me by having your jealous bitch of a mistress, teach me your customs!" Alice said nastily, getting ready to leave,

She, it turns out was Hanks first wife, if Alice could have given him young, she, Rar-Liv would have been demoted to the second wife. But will be holding her position due to her ability to help produce young.

"Stay where you are 'Olni' (female). Be grateful Rav-Liv has stepped aside temporarily to give you your place as my future second wife! She unlike you will bear my name because she will provide me with young to carry, which you cannot!" informed Har-Liv, not understanding her problem.

Alice is now the one horrified, she has expected to live in the water of the coast of Forks, with no money, no shopping trips, also she will have to share Hank and be the second wife, but not in name, so technically she would be the mistress or concubine. Furthermore, if he marries again and they can supply him with young then Alice will be the one demoted each time.

Well, she thought that will never do! I will have to inform them all that I have seen the need for changes to be made. Firstly I will not be living in the water, secondly, I will be his only wife and thirdly they will have to listen to me in all things, just as the Cullens once did!

"I must speak to my father, excuse me," she said rushing over to Carlisle as both Peter and Jasper watched smirking.

"Carlisle you must demand my power is restored! I will not be degraded with the position of the second wife, I will be their Queen or nothing!" she demanded, uncaring who heard her,

"Alice, show some respect please," Carlisle said trying to shush her,

Romain signalled Eric and he froze Alice mid tirade! Everyone was looking at her like she was a crazy person and Carlisle heaved a sigh.

"Can you do anything; Alice will never fit in here. Hank pleased be honest do you really want her that much? She will insult your family, your way of life and given an inch will exploit you all. You need to be strong and every watchful around her, we barely managed and we're vampires!" he said sadly, knowing the should have stopped her behaviour long ago,

For the good of the town and for the sanity of the Mer, Hank withdrew his scent from her and learned a lesson to stick to what he understood. New experiences were good, but trying to fit a square peg in a round hole never worked. Alice would be the only one leaving Forks. She would have her memory of all this erased, Charlie would take her back to the day they arrived and give her memories of disliking the town, the house and saying she would rather go out on her own.

Then an embedded thought of slowly letting the Cullens go, seeing them as holding her back would start to work on her. It would build little by little until she barely remembered to send them cards at Christmas. Nobody would see anything wrong as vampires often moved on to new covens or new places. Also if she was ever read, there would be nothing to see, her visions of the Cullens would stop that day.

**TCHBTE**

Selene, unlike Hank, knew she could sway Edward easily to her side. Therefore she asked Edward if he would like a tour of the town, now he could see it as it really was. Edward was embarrassed to admit this was what he saw the last time too, minus the people, of course. She didn't seem astonished or upset,

"That's okay Edward, you're a realist. You just need proof to see what's really there" she said and her wings beat a little faster making a quiet sound, it was music unlike anything Edward had ever heard,

"That sound, it's beautiful. What kind of music is it?" He asked her now and she this time was surprised,

"You can hear that? Edward that's fairy music and very few have ever heard it but us. It's usually beyond all mortals range, but then you're an immortal, so maybe that's the reason. You must come to the meadow with me and you will hear a concert unlike any other" she said leading him away,

This was what sealed Edward's future; he was able to hear what was not meant for others ears. It would be many days before they saw Edward again. He would be a changed man, yes man. The boy would be left behind in the annals of human history and the new Edward would emerge to see the world through the eyes of the fairy folk.

He had crossed the barrier between supernatural and fairy and was now one of them. He had drunk their wine, eaten their food and made love to their Queen. She had taken his human soul and transformed it into something bigger, something better and open to all things different. He was now the Edward he could always have been, but with wings!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mel-Ans-Roc-Karc Hanks father the leader of the Merpeople.  
> Rav-Ans-Liv-Olni Hanks wife  
> Sar-Ans-Rix-Olni Hanks mother


	5. Would You Look At That

"Eddie! Ed man! Edward, please! I'm sorry, alright! I didn't mean anything by it. Please put me down" Emmett squeaked like a twelve-year-old girl,

"So having wings isn't girly after all then? Therefore you always knowing I was a great big fairy was a lie too, was it? Suggesting I wear a pink tutu and matching ballet pumps was meant to be funny, was it? Strange that Emmett, you can dish it out, but you're not so keen when the boot's on the other foot!" Edward said trying to keep a straight face,

When Edward had returned to the Cullens house, after being gone for five days. Well, Emmett just couldn't stop himself. He only saw the wings, not the changes in his brother. After about an hour, everyone had told Emmett to shut up several times, but he wouldn't let it go and Edward did something so unlike his usual self.

Luckily they'd all been in Edward's old room, he'd come to collect some of his things. He rushed at Emmett, grabbed him and went straight up through the roof. Apologising to Esme and telling her Emmett would fix it later. So now here they all were outside, looking up at the two men. One was calmly dangling the other by his arm over the ground a couple of hundred feet below.

Carlisle was worried for a few moments, but Jasper smiled and squeezed him on the shoulder. The feelings of mischief Edward was projecting flooded into him via Jasper's hand and he relaxed. Bella had also been at the house and she knew all about fairies and their sense of mischief. She peeled back the shield she had around Edward, unable to do it before as he was MIA.

_'Would a large pool of water, be helpful?'_ she said straight into his head, he grinned wickedly and nodded,

Rose was standing by with a camera, she guessed something was about to happen and knew Edward would never hurt Emmett intentionally. Suddenly they saw a lake appear on the back lawn and Emmett falling fast towards it. The splash as he hit, soaked them all and even Bella was surprised.

"Oops! Didn't think that through" she said, waving her arm and drying everyone instantly with a very warm breeze,

A slightly subdued Emmett pulled himself out of the water and looked up at his brother,

"Sorry man!" was all he said before heading inside to change.

Bella was about to wave the lake away when Esme asked her to leave it as a reminder to Emmett, that not all his comments were funny, some were hurtful too. But not one to be down for long Emmett wondered if he could tunnel out to the sound. The Mer boys could use it to visit, he thought. He'd ask their leader next time they were in town.

Carlisle was happy to see Edward so happy and at ease with himself. It turns out even though he still looked like a vampire he no longer required blood to survive, but only fairy food and drink. They could change anyone into a fairy, but they would remain the species they were before. So he still had his speed, strength and vampire mind. Esme was unhappy he wouldn't be staying, but his mate was Selente the Queen of the fairies and his place was with her.

**TCHBTE**

A similar situation was happening with Jasper and Bella. She had taken one look at the Cullens house and thought nope! It was so OTT, who needed all that stuff and why was it so stark and bright. No, she would not be living in a show home, she wanted a place where she could relax and be herself. As a witch she could have anything she wanted with a click of her fingers, but what's the point in that? Nor did she like the idea of everyone hearing everything you said or did!

The five days Edward was gone had been used differently by Jasper and Bella. They had spent the time together, talking, sharing everything warts and all. It had been very cathartic for them both, especially Jasper. She didn't judge him at all, insisting he made the best out of a bad situation and he was not to blame for what Maria made them all do. She'd lied, cheated and controlled good people to get her own way.

Jasper reiterated to her what he'd told her father. He'd wait as long as she needed before changing her unless she was at death's door and then all bets would be off. He had no intention of living without her ever! Bella smiled, she knew they'd find an answer, with everyone pooling their resources, how could they possibly fail. Not for one moment did she doubt they would find the answer and Jasper envied her, having that kind of conviction.

Then things turned more personal, he wanted to stay yes, but not with her and her father in their home, once they were together. She agreed that would be untenable and added no way was she living in that mausoleum he called home. So they imagined what they would both like and wondered where they could build it.

But that was jumping the gun and she laughed saying he'd have to make an honest woman of her first unless he wanted to be hexed by her father. He laughed right back and said,

"No darlin', I don't want that. So would you do me the honour of allowin' me to take you on a date?"

Jasper liked the fact that they didn't have to rush at their relationship like a bull in a china shop. They could take their time and really enjoy getting to know each other. Not that he wouldn't like to just grab her and make love to her right now, he would. But he was determined to do this the right way, it would be their one and only relationship and he wanted it to be perfect or as perfect as a witch and a vampire could have.

Day four was spent with Charlie talking about who they could question. Finding a dark witch would be the hardest thing, that was until Peter arrived.

"I've found one; well she's not really dark per se! From what little info I got it appears when a witch is turned, both the vampire and witch communities spread the word they're dark, dangerous and to be shunned. Mainly because they themselves are scared, not that the witch will do anythin' wrong. Both sides hunt them down and kill them indiscriminately, along with their mates. So they are isolated right from the off, either with their mate or left out there alone waitin' to be picked off!" Peter said he seemed incensed on the witches behalf,

In his mind it seemed unfair and cruel, but if all the turned witches became a coven! Well, then they would have the upper hand, too strong for either group to take them on. Yes, Peter loved an underdog and he felt it was time to address this situation that normal vampires knew nothing about. He intended to ask Bella to ask the archive for the names of witches still alive who had been turned. Wasn't it enough that the humans shunned them all, without your own side doing the same.

So Peter and Charlotte were off to talk to this witch and would let them know what had happened as soon as possible. Day five the day of Edward's return was being spent with the Cullens or what was left of them. With Alice's departure, Edward's transformation and Jasper's mating they were down to four. Esme's hopes or Bella and Jasper staying were dashed before she even voiced them. He was already a very private person and Bella was of a similar ilk. She didn't need a replacement mother she wasn't the seventeen she looked.

"I'll be staying with my father until Jasper and I get married, then we'll be building a place of our own. Jasper wants to do it the old fashioned way, with his bare hands, anyway, somewhere quiet and private, maybe up near Peter and Charlotte's cabin. We'll be keeping it for when they visit if they ever leave that is!" Bella had told her in no uncertain terms.

**TCHBTE**

Life was settling down once again in Forks, the vampires fitted in quite nicely, in fact, the magical community learn much about the human world they had been ignoring from them. Seeing they had become far too isolated, it was detrimental to their wellbeing. If they weren't careful the humans would realise something was very strange about Forks Washington. So every day delegations of people arrived at the large white mansion and impromptu learning sessions began.

It was strange to think that the vampires were the authority on humans and not the more humanoid populace. Emmett was in his glory talking about technology and gaming, films and entertainment. Rose was the expert on transport and female fashion, hairstyles and beauty regimes. Esme talked about interior design and architecture, as well, as modern art. Carlisle was up to date on all things medical as well as government laws and procedures.

Jasper, when approached, was happy to discuss history, modern warfare and the art of forgery. On the rare occasions, anyone had to leave Forks, they had noticed many changes and instead of keeping abreast of them they had fallen far behind,

"The art of hidin' successfully is to blend in, not stand out!" Jasper had said,

"Yes, we ourselves were swayed by Alice and became everything we should not have" Carlisle admitted and this statement actually gained them more respect. Admitting to falling into the trap of complacency, made them seem more normal, approachable.

The thing that gained the respect of the other species was of all things recycling. Emmett had seen first-hand lots of detritus, both in the water and abandoned on the shoreline. He had the idea that they could actually make money from the rubbish the human threw out, which eventually washed up in the Puget Sound. He would make huge cages which were to be hidden at the bottom of the sound in various places, where the Mer could fill them and he would empty them once a week.

Sort it all into containers of glass, plastic and other biodegradables. Then once a month he would take them to collection centres or sell them to states that pay you for it. It wouldn't take long for it to become a lucrative business. Carlisle in the future would help them set up a trust to deal with the money. Although they didn't need it for personal items, the money would be used to repair the blocked and damaged waterways all around the area. Some caused by the weather, most by soil degradation.

The spin-off from this would eventually aid the Quileutes fishing grounds and the water quality improvements would in time encourage more animals to appear and therefore more plants too. Eventually, they would be able to clean up the whole coastline and the three main rivers and several tributaries that surround Forks. All because Emmett said,

"Man that's a lot of human garbage; you should sell it back to them!"

**TCHBTE**

Peter knew he was in the right place; it was a run-down bar on the edge of nowhere, Colorado! He and Charlotte sat at the bar pretending to drink a beer, as he watches the bartender occasionally put a shot on the bar next to an empty stool. Then it would disappear faster than the human eye could see, but Peter wasn't human.

"Hello Camille!" he said in a tone only a vampire would hear,

"You can see me? How?" asked an angry hissed voice,

"Nope, just know you're there! I have a ..., I just know shit!" he replied.

To anyone looking it looked like he was talking to Charlotte and not the empty stool next to him.

"I'm not here to cause you any bother, just ask a couple of questions and give you a suggestion for the future!" he now said,

"Okay, I'll bite. It's been a while since I've spoken to anyone, well anyone like me!" she said in a sad voice,

"Oh suga', the worlds a damn cruel place and that's no lie!" Charlotte told the invisible vampire who just grunted in reply.

"How about we take a booth at the back, a little less conspicuous for us all. Maybe we'll grab us some dinner later, there is always some sicko's in these kinda joints" Peter asked getting to his feet, praying she'd follow them,

Charlotte followed with a tray of shots she'd ordered; maybe Camille would do what Jasper did and let them believe it was real. It was amazing how good it felt to be able to taste the liquor, really taste it. Drinking alcohol was not as unpleasant as eating food, but it had no real taste at all. This was sad because it really smelt as good as it had when they were human.

The two vampires sat to one side of the booth, in fact, Charlotte sat on Peter's lap and placed a couple of shots in front of themselves and another couple at the other edge of the booth.

"Alright, you know who I am, so who are you?" the disembodied voice inquired curiously,

"Peter and Charlotte Whitlock ma'am, it's a pleasure to meet you!" Peter said gallantly.

"My he's got pretty manners for a seasoned warrior! You were in the southern wars I'm guessing by the scars. How the hell did you get free of that?" Camille asked them now,

"Peter can be a gentleman when he wants to suga'. Yes, we were in Maria, one of the warlord's army for a while, me less than him. Our sire helped us escape when my head was on the line!" Charlotte explained calmly.

"Wow, you were lucky then. Your name seems familiar, who was your sire?" Camille asked with a hint of mistrust,

"No need to worry sweet thing, he's a good man with a bad reputation is all! He's just plain Jasper Whitlock nowadays, but he once was called the Major!" Peter said holding his breath a little,

"The Major, he let you go why?" she asked in a whisper that wasn't needed,

"He's our sire, my friend and my brother. When I realised Char was my mate and she was due to be culled I panicked and he kept his cool. He left her to last and told us to run and never look back, we did just that for five years before I returned for him!" Peter told her and only a fool would miss the love and respect in his voice as he spoke of Jasper.

"I envy you that connection. I killed my sire and his band of hunters, all but one! They thought themselves special, elite even! They came over from Europe, hunting and killing supernaturals of every kind, turning us and letting us loose on the population before hunting us all again and killing those they re-caught for fun. Saying they were upholding the law, that we were a threat to the secret!

I was fooled the first time, well caught off guard anyway. But they never got a second chance, this is a mighty fine gift. It protected me and gave me the chance to return the favour and hunt them down instead!" Camille explained bitterly before dropping her invisibility illusion and Peter and Charlotte saw the beautiful woman before them.

"As you can see I'm from First Nation descent originally and that was their mistake. They thought to use a werewolf blade against me as I'm now a vampire. True it gave me this shock of white hair, but my tribe were shifters and me, their shaman, so I expelled the poison with only this to show for it. But the Volturi now hunt me and the witch council is on my back too, even though technically I'm not really a witch as such.

Therefore I keep myself cloaked most of the time. But it's a lonely existence!" Camille said exhaling slowly as she got it off her chest to someone else,

"The one who got away? Let me guess, Caius Volturi the king rat himself!" Peter spat angrily as his gift informed him of the truth.

"Yes, the coward ran as his friends diminished!" Camille said scathingly, "Turns out there are slim pickings in Europe nowadays as the supernaturals have gone into hiding. His activities are a well-guarded secret apparently! Aro seems to think it will keep him happy and out of his hair, or that's what my sire told me as I tore him limb from limb!"

"Well not for much longer I think! I might just l know a few people who would be delighted to let this little gem slip out" Peter said the wheels in his mind spinning,

"You never said what it was you wanted from me> Oh, drink up, it'll taste better now," Camille said smiling, she liked these two warriors,

"Ah, yes! The Major has met his mate, but she's an elemental witch and everyone keeps saying witches go bad when turned. We were lookin' to hear it straight from the horse mouth so to speak" Peter explained and Camille laughed,

"The Volturi have much to answer for. This is another of their little lies; they know it's all in the sire of the witches. He, after all, changed the twins, but refuses to let them do magic! He's afraid someone stronger, better and good, will come along and spoil his little party!" she sneered at she mentioned of his name,

"Well, well! This is interestin', Bella will be relieved. Now my idea, can you spot a witch vampire easily? If you all banded together as one coven, in both senses of the word. They would have to take you seriously; I'm not advocatin' world domination. Just freedom for you to be yourselves, without interference from the witch council or the Volturi! After all, as hybrids neither can understand your needs, so you should be allowed to represent yourselves and many will back you believe me"

"Wow, that's ambitious! But it's a definite plan! I would love nothing more than to have a coven, I've been on my own for so long, well one hundred years anyway. Caius has never returned n that entire time bloody coward!" Camille said with disgust lacing her tone.

"We're returnin' to or sire tomorrow. He's in a supernatural community of many species, one of which is a shifter tribe, the Quileutes!" Peter said dangling the carrot in front of Camille,

"Washington State then? They, I believe are wolves! We were wild mustangs, beautiful, strong, fast as the wind and deadly creatures, they shunned me you know. The fear and ignorance could not be breached and I finally gave up leaving my family behind to the mercies of my tribe" she said sadly,

"Well, this lot are different, they live side by side with Fairies, Nymphs, Witches and the Mer. They are a strong community that just incorporated Vampires, well one family so far, the Cullens!" Charlotte said now and Camille looked at them smiling,

"I have heard of Carlisle Cullen, who hasn't? The vampire who refuses to kill humans and became a doctor to help them. Would they let me visit, do you think I would be accepted there for a little while?" Camille asked wistfully,

"Only one way to find out sweet thing, ask! I'll make the call okay? But, if not we have a small cabin just on the edge of their community and you can stay with us until they get to know you" Peter said, knowing everything would work out fine.

"Tell them my real name is Cah'mel Lahote!" she said breathlessly, even for a vampire.

**TCHBTE**

Jasper was more than a little shocked by Peter's call, not only had he found the witch vampire, but she was good. Not only that she was from a shifter tribe and the kicker, had been hunted by Caius Volturi himself! Damn, Peter never does anything by halves, he thought. In the past, Jasper would have gone to Carlisle with such news first, but this was much more in Charlie's sphere.

So he headed there first, knowing that a meeting would have to be called to decide if Camille or Cah'mel could come to Forks. He withheld only one bit of information, that Peter had offered her a bolthole on their cabin, which was technically outside of the supernatural community. He felt she deserved some help, even if only a safe house for a short time.

Once he had passed on the information to Charlie he went in search of Carlisle. The news was not quite as shocking to him as Jasper might have expected. But Carlisle knew of Caius' predilection for destroying anything he didn't like or understand. After all, he's advocated for Carlisle's death once upon a time, because he refused to kill humans.

It was as if it was a personal insult to Caius' way of life and therefore demanding the death penalty. Carlisle knew he was the most unstable of the three brothers. Once the meeting was called all agreed she should be allowed to come and talk to them. If only to aid Bella in her future. The Quileutes were cautious, but not condemning like her own tribe and that might have been more because of her name.

Lahote was well known here, they married into the founding family long ago. In fact roughly one hundred years ago! Was that a mere coincidence or had Cah'mel's family fled after she was shunned or were they shunned themselves? Old Quill set to and looked through any old tribal documents to find out any answers he could. There was precious little but one man Luk'ka Lahote and his infant son Gene Lahote had arrived here many years ago from a tribe far away.

The had said it was due to the death of the boy's mother and a need for a fresh start. Tribe's intermingled much more back then. The father was a skilled hunter on land and the boy eventually married into one of the main families, the Uley's and if they carried shifter genes, it was less dominant than the wolf gene. Well he thought, we are a proud tribe and we will welcome home a lost sister.

Even if she is a vampire, she is still a shaman and an ancestor of one of our wolves. The Quileutes would right the wrongs of her own tribe and give her a place to finally call home and a family too. Old Quill knew they too might have been like her own tribe if not for the magic's coming to Forks. Once they too had been insular and reluctant to see what was staring them in the face, but little by little they were worn down by the community around them and found great joy and friendship which would otherwise have been lost.

The past was where it should be behind them and they now looked to the future with open minds and open eyes. Not all was as the ancestors thought, not all was black and white. They were not all bad and the tribe all good, their own histories told them this. So, therefore, some vampires could also be good too. So he called a tribal meeting and told them Cah'mel Lahote was coming home at long last and she would be accepted into the tribe and given a place on the council if she so wished. Everyone was at first stunned and then joyous, as Paul sat speechless with tears in his eyes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Gene Lahote is a member of the Uley family. He is the husband of Ruth Uley, the son-in-law of Thomas Uley I and Beatrice Door, the brother-in-law of Caleb Uley, and Levi Uley, and the great-grandfather of Paul Lahote. (Twilight Saga Wiki)


	6. Home Is Where The Heart Is

If she could have cried, she surely would have. Never in her wildest dreams did she ever imagine what she saw before her golden eyes now. That little thing had surprised Peter and Char when Camille finally uncloaked herself she had the eyes of a vegetarian vampire.

"I'm a protector of human's first, vampire second! So I feed only from animals. I have even managed to hunt only the weak, the infirm and the dying. I tried very hard not to upset the balance too much, wherever I went" she explained to them in that bar,

But here before her was a whole tribe of her people, not her tribe, but definitely her people! They were chanting and the drums were beating. Quil Ateara the third, Shaman of the Quileutes met her at the edge of the village. He greeted her in the time-honoured way between two Shamans, and then he held out a cloak, the type of dressing she hadn't worn for many years. Then together they entered the village of La Push and finally into the tribal meeting hut.

The ground below their feet had been strewn with herbs as a welcome for her and a blessing. But the most shocking sight was the young man on his knees before her as she entered the building. There was no doubt in her mind he was a Lahote; he almost exactly resembled her beloved Lu'kka and his father before him.

"I am Paul, grandmother!" he said with a catch in his voice as he stood to step into her embrace.

All the wolves were surprised; she didn't smell like a vampire at all. In fact, she smelt more like them than anything else. Cah'mel was stunned by the acceptance she'd received, the feeling of once more belonging somewhere. Even when the feasting commenced she was shocked to be presented with animal blood to drink.

"We have learned much from our neighbours Cah'mel. Making us less judgemental and more accepting of what the spirits bring our way. How can we expect to achieve enlightenment if we do not open our eyes and our hearts?" Old Quil said at her bemused look.

Tomorrow she would meet the other supernaturals, but today was for them alone. This was the rejoicing of a people, old traditions brought forth by the return of a lost ancestor.

**TCHBTE**

All of the many other communities around La Push heard the tribal drums and the upraised voices of the people. They were really happy for them, each of them had intermingled more so than the Quileutes. So having different species among them was less alarming. Heavens the fairy Queen had just recently taken a vampire to her heart and her bed. This was quite normal now for them all; they saw only that it strengthened them, with their diversity.

Bella and Jasper were spending the day together; she was showing him all her favourite hangouts. Each suited to a different element in her make up. The calm waterfall, the mountains which he'd seen after her renovations. The open landscape where the sun could beat down on her and the forest where the wind whistled through the trees. They were all different from each other, but all tied together by her presence.

"There's not much call for an elemental in day to day life. But I usually have a large role to play during our rituals and things like that. I mainly just use my powers for small things and concentrate on basic magic. It doesn't come all that naturally to me. The same as the elements don't sit well with others and tend to get away from them. Each to there own as they say!" Bella explained to him and he understood, because gifts were like that, except others couldn't master yours or vice versa.

But what Jasper noticed, was that the magical folk weren't power crazy with their magic, unlike vampires with gifts. There was next to none of, my magic is better than yours! Whereas that happened all the time in the vampire world. Bella said usually it was just friendly rivalry or occasionally family-oriented. How did they deal with it, easy Bella told him, with 'Hex Wars'! Not real wars but set aside days where anything goes.

Everyone tried to outdo their rivals or friends by hexing more people than each other. Only the elders and children were left unscathed, along with non-magic's like the Mer and the Quileutes and if you could hex one person multiple times even better. A leader board was set up in the centre of town and each hex was magically counted, on who and by whom! Points were awarded for Spoken, Unspoken and Hand controlled hex.

Hand controlled were the easiest, spoken next and unspoken was the hardest. On the day it was not unusual she told Jasper to see people with multicoloured hair and skin. Or animals running about in clothes they could recognise as belonging to friends. She and Eric were not allowed to use their main magic as it would be too easy for them to win.

He could freeze everyone and hex them at his leisure and she could trap them with water, fire, wind or bury then up to their necks and do the same. So major magic was not allowed, but for instance, Charlie could use his gift for one second to confuse. Teleporting was okay, but every house and building had a safe room for that day and all hexes had to be done between 9 am and 9 pm only.

The whole town became the battlefield and it was like paint-balling on steroids. People could do it alone or in teams of two, but the judges had to know beforehand. Bella was very competitive and had come third, two years ago in a team with her father and second last year with Angela. This year she intended to win and Jasper would be her secret weapon.

With her shield, his speed and ability to distract others by messing with their emotions she was convinced they could win this year. This was a side of her he hadn't known existed and since he himself liked to win, he was sure they'd make a good team. But it was a couple of months away and they would have time to practise some moves.

**TCHBTE**

The one thing they did agree on was when they finally built a home for themselves it would be by the waterfall, it was so peaceful and calming and Jasper loved it right away. He also had decided that he would take Bella into the human world on their dates. Not to prove she was missing something, but to show her his world was sometimes beautiful too.

Life had settled back down in Forks and the school mothballed once again, seeing as the Cullens knew about them all, there was no need for the subterfuge anymore. Everyone had met Cah'mel and were happy she had joined them. Bella and Jasper's first date was approaching and he explained he wanted to take her to Seattle during the day.

"What will I wear?" she asked and he mentioned that he'd loved her biker chick outfit she'd worn the first day and they could go on her bike if she didn't mind.

Bella didn't mind at all, in fact, she would be letting him drive so she could just wrap herself around him. They hadn't progressed much beyond hand-holding and long passionate kisses, but the tension between them mounted with every day. But it was a pleasant feeling, not painful or angsty because they knew they could change their status at any time if they wanted.

But neither wanted to rush this thing between them, it would be for eternity, so why leap in gracelessly. They would learn about each other slowly and when the time was right they would know. Jasper had noticed on several occasions that the weather could change when they got a little carried away, he imagined that when they finally came together it would be amazing, exhilarating even.

Maybe somewhere unpopulated would be best, in case her powers got away from her. Carlisle and Esme owned an Island off the Brazilian coast; far enough out that nobody would notice any weather anomalies now and again. Yes, he liked the idea and would ask their permission, before he suggested it to Bella. He wanted her to have as much input into their life together as he did. He wondered if she could teleport them there? He would ask her that too.

The trip to Seattle was good for both of them, she loved the speed and the holding him tightly. He also enjoyed the speed and feel of the bike below him, but Bella's arms holding him were much more to his liking. He showed her all the sights and they wandered around a couple of galleries, discussing paintings and sculptures they saw. He was trying to find out what she liked and more importantly what she didn't.

As the day was coming to an end Bella asked Jasper if she could take him somewhere now. That somewhere was a hidden community on Kellogg Island. Unseen by humans and other supernaturals was a thriving trading post for magical beings. Here items were bought and sold, well bartered more often than not.

It was so well hidden it didn't even disturb the birds now living there. Witches and Wizards teleported out and in without anyone being aware. Jasper was fascinated as Bella traded items he didn't even know she had on her. She was buying blood of all things and he was most confused,

"I thought we could try you out on some of these and if they work, then you wouldn't need to go hunting as often or at all!" she said hesitantly and he smiled at her concern for him.

"Sounds like a plan to me darlin'," he said kissing her tenderly,

"Major?!" said a voice nearby and Jasper stiffened smelling a vampire.

"Garrett? What in hell's name brings you here of all places?" Jasper quizzed,

"I could say the same Major, but I can see for myself, is this your mate?" Garrett asked back to him,

"Yes! Isabella, meet Garrett an old friend of the Whitlocks and Carlisle" Jasper said quietly, still a little unsure why Garrett would be on an island that hid a magic trading post.

"Relax Major. Hello, Isabella, it's a pleasure to meet you" Garrett said bowing over Bella's hand gallantly,

"It's my pleasure," she said seeing at once how like Peter he was, just a big flirt really.

"Garrett, my love! Who are you flirting with ..., Jasper? What? Who's here with you?" Kate said panicking,

"It's okay sweetie! He's here with his mate Isabella" Garrett said pulling the stunning vampire up against his side. Making it obvious to Jasper that she was his mate.

"Mate! You're a witch? Sorry, of course, you are! Short explanation Jazz, Sasha, my sire was a witch, but she couldn't teach us, my sisters and I since we were all Succubae. But we do use some magical products to keep us looking our best!" she whispered to Jasper and Bella,

"Carlisle doesn't know, does he? I am sure Alice and Edward would have condemned you out of hand otherwise!" Jasper said hugging Kate quickly,

"We felt it best to keep that under wraps. So where is everyone?" she asked now looking around.

"It's just us and don't worry, Alice no longer lives with the Cullens. We're all in Forks now, please tell Tanya Edward met his mate in Selente, the Queen of the Fairies!" Jasper whispered back,

Both Garrett and Kate tried to stifle a laugh, but couldn't. Before long the four of them were laughing hard.

"Now Jasper, he's got a lovely pair of wings! They match his hair perfectly" Bella sniggered and they all burst out laughing again,

"Damn, that I'd love to see!" Garrett said as they all calmed down again.

Once proper introductions were made and Bella insisted only Jasper and her father called her Isabella, for them to call her Bella. They agreed it was now safe to tell Carlisle and that way they could still visit back and forth.

"We were just leaving do you need a teleport out?" Bella enquired, knowing non-magics used a portal that was always busy and they might have to queue for ages,

"That would be wonderful, thank you Bella," Kate said liking the Major's young mate right away.

Once back in Seattle they all decided to go to a club to hear some music and dance a little. Bella was really enjoying this and decided next time they should go with Char and Peter. Jasper loved how she felt about his real family; none of the Cullens had really liked them because of Alice and Edward. By the time they were ready to head home, Bella was exhausted.

"Why don't you bind yourself to me and catch some shut-eye darlin'. I'll wake you when we reach Forks" Jasper said and Bella nodded and did a hand movement that even he felt the results of,

"You can tell me tomorrow why Succubus can't do magic!" he said over his shoulder just as Bella fell asleep.

**TCHBTE**

Carlisle smiled knowingly and admitted he'd guessed years ago. Over the many years, they had let slip an odd saying or fact that was not quite normal for vampires. It hadn't taken Carlisle long to piece it all together. Of course, Alice and Edward had put it down to their Slavic origins. He remembered several instances now, where he had been let down by their attitude to others, it wasn't just arrogance or even ignorance, but intolerance he now realised.

He also knew in his own heart this was not his fault, because none of the others had ever felt that way about the sisters. He once again wondered if Alice really knew nothing of her past or pretended to, as she felt her roots were beneath her. Edward he knew had been a product of his era, where so much emphasis was placed on standing in the community.

Then he looked at Rose and Emmett if two people should never have been it was them. But they had scaled the social divide, because now as vampires it meant absolutely nothing to either of them. Yes, love truly had conquered all in their case. Carlisle himself had lived so long he was totally at ease in whichever human social class he found himself in.

It was irrelevant; a non-issue to him and Esme had taken a leaf out of his book and acted the doctor's wife on every level with him as the eras rolled by. Of course, being a doctor had automatically put him in a more affluent class years ago, as had Rose and Edward's fathers, being bankers and lawyers respectively. But he above anyone knew, money wasn't everything, but then he'd had many years to work it out for himself.

He was glad he wouldn't lose his friends because they now lived here in Forks. Sometimes you needed the company of like-minded people to help you see what was happening around you. Vampires were very guilty of stagnating and ignoring the ever-changing world around them. The Volturi were a prime example of that. The middle ages were a terrible and cruel time, but that was where they had finally stopped moving forward.

Carlisle shook his head, he was letting himself think too much of the past. Here in Forks was his life now and he intended to embrace it. He wasn't really needed as a doctor, so he would concentrate on research and writing all those papers he'd never got around too. He would have the time to for once prove soon of his long-held theories. He was excited about it and the others could see this and were happy for him.

**TCHBTE**

"So what you're sayin' is no matter what they tried to do for others it would only work on them? Because the person askin' for the spell or potion would be besotted with them! Damn, that would be awkward and slightly maddenin' too!" Jasper said as Charlie and Bella explained why the sister couldn't perform magic,

"Yes, it was decided aeons ago that Succubae would, for the human's safety, not be taught magic. Because their gifts as you vampires call it and powers as we do are not stable enough!" Charlie told the enthralled Jasper.

It was beginning to become obvious to him that many gifts were not gifts at all, but latent magic. He and Edward fell into the gift category, his natural caring nature had become empathetic and Edward's intuitiveness became mind-reading. But Alice's was surely magic; she might not have known there was magic in her background. Her power proved it beyond a shadow of a doubt.

The magical community called vampire gifts either gifts or powers. Powers were all magic-based, even when the wielder was unaware. Take Aro and Marcus Volturi, Aro's was a gift and Marcus' was a power, he was a soul reader. The same with the twins, they used their powers to commit evil, they should have been healers.

Demetri the tracker, his was a gift, whereas Heidi's was a power and like the Denali sisters one not trained. She was a Siren and they like Succubae were unstable enough to wield magic. Bella believed from what Carlisle had told her Benjamin of the Egyptian coven his was a power, just like hers. Also, it sounded like Eleazar was an aura reader; therefore his was a power too.

Peter's too she said was a power, it was a seeing of sorts and much more reliable than Alice's power. Like the Oracles at Delphi, he saw definite outcomes, not possibilities. Jasper was amazed at first and then it became obvious. They were not the only supernatural and as every vampire had once been human, well the odds were great that many had some latent magical power.

"Peter's gonna be chuffed darlin', you just proved that he doesn't have a gift! He's been tellin' us that for years, adamant that it was not a gift at all. You should make a list of all known vampires and sort them into gift or power for future reference" Jasper said happily, not knowing how important that would be in the future.

But in the meantime they just got on with their daily lives, having a couple of more dates and even double dating with Peter and Char. But tonight they were off to Seattle dancing with a crowd. Rose and Emmett asked to join them the next time they went, as did Angela and Ben along with Lauren and Austin. So it was a group of ten that set off for Seattle in a mini convoy.

What drew their attention no one was sure? Was it five vampires out with five humans, or what appeared to be humans? But on leaving the club and heading back to their cars, the group were stopped by a group of three nomads! Their confusion at the mixed eye colours of the vampires put the nomads on the defensive, was this not a feeding party after all?

But the scars on three of the five made two of the nomads apprehensive and they backed up slightly. The leader was either stupid or cocky!

"Care to share? Maybe we'll just take them from you, after all, who wines and dines their dinner it's unnatural?" he spat in disgust,

Bella immediately shielded her friends, not with a thin barrier but a thick impenetrable one. The move was almost choreographed as Peter and Charlotte flanked Jasper. Both Rose and Emmett dropped back behind their non-vampire friends in a protective stance.

"You're about to make the biggest mistake of your life!" Jasper drawled and Bella glanced over at him,

This was not her loving gentle mate jasper, this was Major Whitlock. She deadened the sound in the bubble and said,

"Lauren transfigure those four stones to look like you guys and teleport out at my signal, Austin make the illusion as real as possible. Peter a little distraction please!" she said and Jasper felt a thrill run through him at how commanding his mate was.

"Well, well! Looky here, Major. We've got ourselves a bunch of idiots! Can I play with them please, pretty please?" Peter said as all the nomads looked at him, Bella nodded to Lauren and Austin,

"They're gone," she said touching Jasper's back gently,

"You should have left too, Suga'" he murmured, but she shook her head as if to say, I think not!

"So which of you, damn fools wants to die first!" the Major asked raising an eyebrow,

The two at the back turned as if to run and hit a brick wall that wasn't there. Bella had inverted her shield over them and was in her own personal one.

"Where the fuck did the other four go" the leader yelled,

"Mind your mouth there are ladies present!" Emmett said cracking his knuckles,

"God damn it, James, I warned you! I said it felt wrong didn't I? But, Oh no, the great and almighty James knew better" The woman yelled at the leader,

"Should have listened to her dumbass!" Char said dropping into an attack crouch just waiting for Jasper word.

"Bella darlin' please go!" he said quietly,

"No, it's all or nothing baby!" she replied and he nodded understanding as she stepped back, sliding between Rose and Emmett,

"Em left, Pete right, that asshole is mine!" the Major said and the fight was on.

"Mon Dieu!" the guy with dreads said as Rose and Emmett descended on him,

"Sorry, no speaky the lingo!" Emmett said as Rose ripped off both his arms and he tore off his head.

"Now now, sweets, you're not tryin' to leave are you?" Char asked grabbing a handful of red hair and yanking the screaming bitch back to her,

As she removed the woman's head, Peter neatly stacked her suddenly dismembered body.

"Damn that's efficiency!" Emmett laughed as they all turned to watch the two men now circling each other.

Jasper was unscathed, but James was down to one arm and had gouges leaking venom everywhere.

"Lesson one son, know your enemy! Lesson two, never bite off more than you can chew! Lesson three; always make peace with your God before a fight! Finally, damn there is no lesson four, goodbye, see you in hell!" the Major drawled before finishing off the guy and stacking him neatly, just as Peter had.

The purple haze blew away quickly, in a wind Bella made happen and as they all looked around the parking lot, nobody seemed to have seen a thing. Jasper turned to his mate in slight apprehension; it was one thing wanting to know all sides of him. It was another thing altogether seeing it. But Bella was across the space and leaping into his arms before he could open his mouth.

She was running her hands all over him checking for any injury he might have received. But there were none and she sighed loudly before crashing her lips down on his in the most intense kiss they had ever shared. Peter nodded to Emmett, telling him and Rose to take Austin's car back to Forks. He and Char climbed into Jaspers and drove away leaving the two still in a passionate embrace.

"Bella?" Jasper queried,

"Hotel now! Never mind baby," she said teleporting them to the waterfall in Forks and into the little cabin that Jasper had started to build.

With a click of her fingers, a soft pallet of blankets covered the floor and Jasper laid her down gently.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mon Dieu! (French) - My God!


	7. The Power Of Love

The cabin by the picturesque waterfall was filled with sound. The sounds of moaning, of growling, even a little screaming in ecstasy and a lot of words of love and devotion. Bella may have looked like every other seventeen-year-old virgin, but she was a fifty-eight-year-old witch. A witch who'd saved herself for her future life partner, but this didn't make her a nervous uneducated participant for the first tender joining with the vampire below her and now the more ardent one.

She was at long last, releasing a passion which had been laying dormant inside of her and he was enthralled. The air crackled around them with a powerful energy, her hair was lifting from her body. But not in a freaky horror movie kind of way or in a comic book reaction to a shock style. No, it floated and undulated with her passion, the ends caressing the body of her lover and he groaned at the sensation, the sheer eroticism of it all.

This was round two of their love fest; round one had been slow, romantic and loving. Consummately gentle and reverent. They had made love with each other. This time it was much more primal, it was almost feral and it was out and out fucking! There was no other way to describe it as their bodies slapped against each other; Bella had spelled her own body to withstand the powerful attentions of her mate. Able to accept all he was capable of giving and he was beyond grateful.

There was no holding back now, no slow human pace. This was vampire sex in all it's glory, they had fought for dominance and Jasper for once submitted to the woman who held his heart. It wasn't as if he gained nothing from it. There is no shame in receiving passion, or in giving it. So he lay there staring up into the eyes of the woman riding his cock with a fervour he had never felt before. He felt alive for once, not just as a vampire, but as a man, a man in love.

He was sure the tables would be turned soon enough and she would see a side of him that would make her heart skip a beat. The Major could also be passionate, he wasn't just a killer, he was an ardour filled being. Jasper never saw himself as two people; there was the gentle more human side of him and the dominant, more forceful vampire side. Others separated him into Jasper and the Major, but to him, he was both equally, able to change at will.

His eyes snapped up once more at the slightly vicious snarl from the woman he loved and he felt all her emotions flooding his body, she was almost feral in her demeanour and he loved it. He saw a sudden glint and realised Bella had given herself the means to mark him as hers. He grabbed her hips and sitting up he slammed her down on himself repeatedly, they were both so close to orgasm.

"Do it darlin', bite me. Make me yours!" he demanded of her and she smiled wickedly showing him her elongated canines,

"You too, baby! It won't hurt me, won't turn me unless I let it!" she purred and he felt himself stiffen even more,

It took only three more thrusts and they came together, both biting down on the other's neck. Thus triggering not only a second orgasm, but the skies to erupt with thunder and lightning. It was like a light show out there, many stopped to look up at the sky and smile. Every witch and wizard in Forks knew exactly what that meant, having been warned years ago. An elemental witch had lost her virginity, thus her power would grow in strength and resilience.

It was a strange but well-documented thing, they had to release pent up energy into the atmosphere at their climax. This was so they didn't hurt their lover or themselves. So although it was their second round, it was her witch's release, this time as it was more an emotional one. Charlie Swan heaved a sigh, his daughter was all grown up now, and he was both sad and happy for Bella. She deserved love just as much as anyone else and having her powers unlocked.

As the blissed-out couple lay panting in the aftermath Bella started to giggle. Jasper smiled asking her what was going on. Once she explained he face-palmed himself,

"Great, now everyone knows includin' your father? I'm a dead man!" he pretended to be scared,

"You're a dead man anyway baby, so it doesn't matter! Now could you suck your venom back out, please. I put a little shield bubble in my neck to stop the venom penetrating, for now" she half-laughed back at him.

Jasper was stunned, wow she was amazing, he thought as he gently placed his lips around his mark and withdrew the venom until her blood was clear. Bella's body shivered and shook with suppressed passion as he gently caressed her skin with his tongue. Dear god, that was erotic she mused as she smoothed her hair down.

"Sorry about the Hollywood vampire fangs, but I didn't know how else to make them," she said sheepishly,

"It was hot darlin' and really sexy. I liked it, I liked it a lot. We should revisit that sometime!" Jasper said nuzzling her neck, which was now free of venom, but still showed his mating mark clearly on her.

**TCHBTE**

Carlisle was obviously more than a little intrigued by the thought that what they had called gifts were not that at all. Bella told him a gift was a hangover from your human life, like an enhancement of a trait you once had. Like Emmett's strength and Edward speed. But in some cases, it became more another ability, like ESP was to humans. But that power was magical based, you were born human with it in a latent state and it cannot be stopped by any gift.

The reason the Volturi weren't aware was because they had had the power-based witch twins with them for so long and a power works on a power, unlike a gift. For instance, Demetri probably never noticed he never really knew where Alice was. He saw the others but not her he assumed she was away or even subconsciously just placed her there where she should be.

Bella explained she now knows her shield is a second power from Renee's side of the family because it stopped the Cullens hearing, seeing or feeling anyone and the nomads from escaping. They had compiled a list of the Volturi and put them in the two categories once their gift or power was explained:

** Name ** ** Gift Power**

Afton Volturi Y Illusionist (Invisibility)

Alec Volturi Y Healer (Anaesthetist)

Aro Volturi Y

Chelsea Volturi Y Memory (Bond) Manipulator 

Corin Volturi Y

Demetri Volturi Y

Heidi Volturi Y Siren

Jane Volturi Y Healer (Pain controller)

Marcus Volturi Y Soul Reader (bond reader)

Renata Volturi Y Defender (Shield)

Of the seven with powers only three were dangerous, Jane, Alec and Chelsea. Caius, Felix, Santiago, Sulpicia and Anthenodora Volturi had no gifts or powers. Felix's strength was just like Emmett's and Santiago's speed just like Edward's. Other guard's status was not known at this time.

"How does Aro read the ones with powers then?" Rose quizzed Bella really interested in all of this new information.

"They obviously don't realise they can stop him and just open their minds to him as he expects and as everyone else does!" Bella replied thoughtfully,

"How on earth do you think Jane the pain is a healer?" Emmett asked confused,

"Carlisle, when she uses her power is she straining or relaxed?" Bella asked holding up a hand to Emmett,

"Strained, whereas Alec is beyond relaxed. Although he uses his hands and she does not, but she says the word pain every time!" Carlisle exclaims, realising, at last, the witch connection.

"She's strained because she has been trained to use her power in reverse. A healer would calmly take the pain away. Her power is spoken, his is hand controlled. What about Chelsea?" Bella now inquired,

"Unspoken and no strain whatsoever!" he replied sadly,

"Then she is actually the most dangerous of the three. A silent assassin!" Jasper said from beside Bella and they all nodded,

"Well let's hope we never have to cross paths with her or them, then!" Esme said bringing Bella a cup of coffee and firmly closing the discussion.

Bella would put all this information into the library tomorrow and it would update the database itself and in addition, work out every other vampire's gift or power from now on. She loved that with magic you only needed to do something once. Now if she looked up Jasper it would say he had the gift of Pathokinesis or Empathy and Peter a cognitive power of the Oracle.

**TCHBTE**

The next couple of weeks alternated between, practising for the 'Wars' and making love. Now that they had committed Jasper and Bella were insatiable. The Cullens had slid seamlessly now into everyday life in Forks. Emmett had his permission to tunnel out to the Sound and he and Peter set to like demented moles and had it done in a couple of days. Anyone that saw them laughed at their antics. As one dug the way forward underground the other ran over-ground, stamping their feet and shouting left a bit or right a bit when they got a reply.

No need for fancy equipment when you're a vampire. It deepened as they reached the coast quite near to La Push. So that the entrance was always underwater and therefore always flooded. It would have to be a horrendous drought to sever the link. Having the tunnel also makes removing the detritus from the area easier for Emmett. He could bring it up and load vans directly inside outbuildings he'd built for storage, out of sight of the house.

Peter and Charlotte ever the wanderers were staying for the games and then off for a jaunt around their various properties. They knew they were always welcome in Forks and would visit often, but they were nomads at heart and had no wish to be tied down. No-one needed to ask them to keep Forks a secret, their sire, who Peter thought of as a brother and Char more like a brother-in-law lived here and that would seal their lips forever.

Soon the day of the 'Wars' dawned and everyone gathered in the centre of Forks by the pond to hear the rules and cheer on their friends and favourite team. The spectator's and council could watch the team on a live link, but none of the other teams could see what the competition was doing. Each team had a fairy with them who was filming them and relaying any information from the adjudicators. 

Theste was paired with Jasper and Bella and it was her first games since she came of age. She, it turned out was actually Princess Theste. Being Selente's younger sister, therefore Edward's new sister-in-law and it was apparent she had a little crush on him. Jasper smirked to himself, she'd learn, Edward was changed yes, but fundamentally he was still Edward.

By the end of the day, her allegiance would have changed and her focus would now be firmly on Jasper. He was just being himself, but that was all it took. Ever the gentleman and innately kind man it was what drew the ladies to him. Bella found the whole thing amusing to start with but you could never turn your back on a fairy,

"Don't eat or drink anything she offers you for goodness sake, its how they court you. You'll end up like Edward if you do and I'll kill you both!" Bella whispered and he had the feeling she meant it.

"Don't worry darlin', I have eyes only for you" he whispered back before purposely kissing her in full view of Theste and all of Forks.

It was a fast-paced game, people popping up left right and centre. But with her shield and Jasper's speed, nobody got any hits on them. They, on the other hand, had splattered almost everyone with a myriad of childish hexes. Bella was getting so carried away she was even trying out some of the Harry Potter ones and damned if the didn't work! That confused Julie to begin with until someone realised what she'd done.

"Bella, no illegal hexes!" A booming voice said over the tannoy system, "Come see me tomorrow and we'll see if they can be incorporated into our style and register them!"

Jasper laughed and Bella shrugged as if to say it was worth a try. Their points were amended for the half dozen she'd done. But it wasn't much because they were spoken and hand-controlled. They took a couple of breaks throughout the day for Bella to eat and drink. Jasper touched nothing, terrified to even get a crumb on him as Theste was watching him closely.

"If you eat somethin' fairy, what will happen?" he asked when they were alone for a few moments,

"Nothing, I'm the wrong gender. But no kissing till I've cleaned my teeth, just in case she's spiked it all!" she replied and now he was more worried, these fairies were tenacious.

"Is there a shortage of males in their world?" he asked,

"No, they just like variety. You know the old saying don't you?" she giggled back to him and he huffed glad she was finding it funny.

But what he didn't know was Bella had him shielded, also had a couple of protection spells on him and an antidote in her pocket. If it's administered within three minutes he would be okay. This was her mate and she was not letting anyone steal him away. Fairies saw any unmarried male as fair game and Bella was going to remedy that very soon. They had no reason to wait now they knew she wouldn't go bad when turned.

Unknown to her, Peter and Jasper had been away at Seattle doing some serious jewellery shopping less than two days ago. He intended to ask her tonight to be his wife, but now thought during the games would send a signal to everyone that he and she were well and truly taken. He nodded to himself, yes at the award ceremony when all eyes would be on her that's when he'd do it.

It was a cosmic witch's engagement ring, which showed the lunar cycle of the planets and wrapped the finger. Charlie had pointed the way after he'd asked him for his blessing and they had gone to the trading post on Kellogg Island. He had it in his pocket now and was getting more and more excited as the day started to wind down. They were going to be the clear winners this year and he knew that would make Bella very happy.

**TCHBTE**

"I'm bored Aro! Find me, someone, to kill or something. I care not" Caius whined and Aro shook his head in disgust,

If he kept this up there would be no one left but vampires to kill. Almost all other supernaturals were in hiding, trying to avoid Caius' rampages. He had just recently decimated Russia and now he was bored again. Sometimes Aro wished he had never turned Caius, but he'd needed a bloody thirsty killer back then, but not now. Now he was becoming a liability, Marcus refused to be in the same room as him unless it was absolutely necessary.

"Enough Caius! When will you understand you can't just keep on killing? What's next other vampires, then us until you're alone on the planet! Grow up and shut up" Aro snapped at the petulant child king,

"You always say that! You always spoil my fun!" he shouted stomping out of the room and Marcus flitted in as he left,

"Aro, we can't keep this up! Do you realise the Volturi are hiding more species than they are themselves! Why do we tolerate him? Kill the fool and be done with it before he brings us all down with him" Marcus whispered to his brother,

"I know, I know!" was all Aro said and if he'd known what was to come he would have struck Caius down where he stood not five minutes ago.

A delegation from the witches was about to descend on the Volturi to complain about their dual menace. Well, what they thought was a menace, but in reality, it was something they both feared. Vampire/Witch hybrids, one because they didn't understand their strength and the other because they did. But Caius was about to make that all immaterial by his stupidity.

**TCHBTE**

They were in the last hour of the games and Bella and Jasper were clear winners already. His excitement was starting to radiate out of him and they were barely attacking anyone anymore. They were now ambling slowly towards the town centre. He kept hugging her and kissing her hand, her face, her lips and she was laughing radiantly, buoyed up by his projections. Even Treste had stopped trying to ensnare him as aggressively; she too was infected by his happiness.

The siren to end the games sounded and everyone returned once more to the pond. There was much hilarity and back-slapping, possibly egged on by that excited, nervous energy of Jasper's. As the third-place winners were announced Jasper steadied himself, he'd never asked someone to marry him before. He was starting to second guess himself as the second place was announced.

That was until he caught his brother's thumbs-up signal and he relaxed a little. Peter was never wrong, so he knew now, she would say yes. Their names were announced as the outright winners and Bella pulled him forward to receive the trophy. He barely heard the speech Romain made, watched lovingly as Bella graciously accepted it on their behalf and as she turned to him he dropped to one knee.

A hush fell over Forks as everyone held their collective breaths. It had been many years since a couple had declared themselves in the witch community.

"Darlin', I love everythin' about you. The way you laugh, the way you put everyone before yourself, except in competitions it appears!" he said and the crowd sniggered, he was right,

Jasper took her hand in his, as the other held out the beautiful ring that twinkled in the evening light.

"Bella, will you be mine for eternity, will you marry me?" he asked her sweetly and she smiled,

Tears were running down her face, happy tears of course. He always knew exactly what to say and when to say it she thought as she to dropped to her knees,

"Yes, yes Jasper it would be my privilege and my honour to be your wife" she replied as their lips met and he slid the ring firmly onto her finger,

The crowd broke into thunderous applause and Bella blushed slightly as she to pulled a box from her pocket. It had been there all day next to the antidote, as she searched for the right moment.

"Since we're already down here Major," she said opening it to reveal a tree root ring with a small jasper stone the colour of his eyes, embedded in it.

Jasper threw his head back and laughed heartily, she was his perfect match. He held out his hand to her and she slipped on the ring. As they were about to rise Romain cleared his throat silencing the crowd once more.

"As you two have committed to binding yourselves together, I will bind your rings. These rings are a symbol of your unity and as such are now bound only unto you. Never to come off, only death can remove them and by death, I mean final death, not transitional death. If one of you is ever lost the other will find you with the power of these bonded rings" Romain said passing his hand over their rings and Jasper felt it almost lock in place,

Everyone rushed forward now, the women to admire her ring, the men to laugh and joke at his expense. But Jasper was beyond happy, the future he hoped held only good for them. So as one vampire family celebrated a joyous engagement on this side of the world. The ruling family were about to be thrown into chaos on the other.

**TCHBTE**

If everyone hadn't been at the games and then Bella's impromptu engagement party, then someone might have seen or heard the book in the archive shudder and shake. Several fell to the floor and many new ones appeared. Several greyed out, meaning the death of the person mentioned on the pages. A war was coming, but not just for the people of Forks, but for the whole supernatural world as they all knew it.

Two men had brought Armageddon down on them all, one with his need to kill for nothing but sport and his growing madness. The other with his arrogance at assuming he could control the monster, his brother had become at his request. It would only come to light the following day when Bella went to the archives to update them on her information about the Volturi from the other day.

Horror was the only reaction one could describe, by looking at Bella Swan's face the next morning. Something monumental had occurred, but what? She quickly set off the alarm that brought all of the witch community running,

"Dear gods of old! Close the boundaries! Warn the other leaders! I believe hell has arrived in the supernatural world and we must defend ourselves against it" Romain said taking charge and sending envoys to the other Fae,

"What has happened? What's going on?" Alina asked her husband,

"I don't know yet, but I sense danger and hatred will cause widespread fear" he replied and all were stunned,

"If I may Sir? I just got a picture of what has happened. Caius Volturi has killed a delegation of witches within the walls of Volterra, it should have been a safe place, as set down in their treaty. They were there to discuss vampire/witch hybrids of all things. He rampaged through the place killing everyone including your head of the world council of witches Sebastian Le Sorcière! This leaves a void, which will be filled by a known vampire hater Armand Milfoil!

Aro was unable to control his brother or the ensuing chaos. Marcus has fled into hiding, with Heidi and Renata. I think he knows more about powers than we assumed. Volterra is barricaded up now to keep all out, but it is useless against magic. Caius is chained in the dungeon, finally having gone completely insane. But the witches want war and the destruction of all vampires!" Peter said quietly, but everyone heard him.

This was worse than any could imagine, living there in a small rural community with little or no ties to the larger supernatural world. It was scary and unthinkable to them, that miles away one fool could bring destruction to them all. They felt helpless in the face of such stupidity and wanton destruction. Aro Volturi's arrogance was coming back to bite them all.

Jasper and Bella decided if this was their ends of days then they would die together and married. So while the world held their breath in anticipation, Forks celebrated the joining of the two warring races by the marriage of Belladonna Mariette Swein and Major Jasper Whitlock. He was unsure about changing her now, but she held firm and said nothing and no one had the right to stand in the way of their future.

So it was decided that on the night of their marriage Jasper would turn his bride and she would become the world's first-ever Elemental witch/vampire hybrid with a shield. Having two witch powers had already set her apart. Now she would possess the strength of a vampire to add to her already full arsenal. In truth, she would become not only the strongest witch but the strongest vampire too.

**Author's Note:**

> Reminder who does what  
> Alina Octaff - Ward spell caster Angela Cheney - Mystic healer Austin Marks - Transmutation   
> Bella Swan - Elemental Ben Cheney - Protection spell caster Bob banner - Herbalist  
> Charlie Swan - Memory charms Eric Yorke - Time manipulator Jessica Marks - Zoologist   
> Lauren Crowley - Transmutation Mike Newton - Conjurer Romain Octaff - Protection spell caster   
> Shelley Cope - Potions & Draughts Tyler Crowley - Illusionist
> 
> Swein (Norse) - Servant
> 
> Jord or Old Norse Jörð (pronounced “YORD;”, “Earth”) is an obscure and seldom-mentioned giantess and goddess in Norse mythology. She plays no active part in the tales whatsoever and is referenced only in passing as being the mother of Thor and as being the daughter of Nótt (“Night”) and Anarr (“Another”).
> 
> Hey Presto! (British) - A phrase announcing the successful completion of a trick, or to suggest that something has been done so easily that it seems to be magic. Possibly the 1700's.


End file.
